A Red Letter Day

"Okay, Okay…" Hank groaned ten minutes later. "Since obviously we're not going to get anything done with that last book we'll try another one. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne." He picked up the book and showed it to them.

"Oh man that one's even worse!" John groaned.

"What can you possibly have against the Scarlet Letter?" Hank asked.

"You have a few hours?" John remarked. "The characterizations are boring at best. Hawthorne doesn't allow the reader to draw their own conclusions, but shoves his opinions down the reader's throat. There's no decent dialogue and there's way too much symbolism. I mean does that hyperactive brat Pearl have to be bathed in sunlight everywhere she goes?"

"Hmm," Hank blinked. "You do have some good points. I guess I was wrong about you Thunderbird, you do have some grasp on the qualities of literature after all."

"And worst of all for a so called romance nobody gets naked!" John complained. "Would it have killed the guy to write one decent sex scene? There were plenty of opportunities but he blew it! When I read a romance, if I do have to read a romance I want action!"

"Then again…" Hank grumbled. "Maybe my earlier assessment was closer to the truth."

"You gotta admit he does have a point," Bobby said. "It was a pretty lame book."

"I hate Hester," Amara grunted. "What a sap she was."

"I can't believe she didn't tell everyone that Dimmesdale jerk was the father," Tabitha grumbled. "Preacher or not I'd have blabbed it to anyone who would listen!"

"Maybe she was holding out for the book rights?" Bobby asked.

"Maybe because she was an idiot!" Tabitha grunted. "Most of the stuff in the book would have never happened if that spineless jerk just told the truth in the first place!"

"Yeah it takes two to tango last I checked!" Amara shouted.

"Well you do have a point," Hank said. "But the book is more about sin and guilt in general rather than the actual act of adultery. Ironically by committing this sin and through repentance Hester becomes more empowered. In fact, in many ways she becomes a vital asset to the community."

"Oh yeah she's a valued member of the community all right," Amara grumbled. "But they still make her wear that A and let the kids throw mud at her! And they make her live outside of town!"

"Sounds just like our lives!" Tabitha snapped. "No matter how many good things we do and how skilled we are the best we can get around here is a grudging respect while they slam us in the newspapers! I mean we saved the freaking world for crying out loud! What more do they want?"

"This discussion is not going the way I intended," Hank sighed.

"Yeah that happens a lot in this class," Kurt remarked.

"And that Chillingsworth guy has a lot of nerve trying to take revenge on the guy who slept with his wife," Tabitha said. "In the first place it was a marriage of convenience and in the second he ditches her for two years! Of course when someone else wants her, then he wants her back! What a jerk!"

"Yeah but Dimmesdale was a jerk too so they deserve each other," Amara said.

"I think Hester should have told them both off, revealed to everyone who the father was and then leave town," Thornn said. "After burning it to the ground! Serves 'em right for treating her like that!"

"People that doesn't exactly fit in with the point of the book!" Hank groaned. "You know about forgiveness for sins and how if you don't repent they can destroy you?"

"Who cares?" John said. "I'm with Boom Boom! At least in the Demi Moore film we got to see her naked. Hey maybe we should…"

"We are not watching that version in class!" Hank shouted. "Doesn't anybody care about literature around here?"

"Not really no," John said.

"Forget it Mr. McCoy," Kurt sighed. "I don't think you're going to get anywhere with this group. I learned the hard way to just sit back and enjoy the ride."

"Kurt I'm starting to understand why you had that little outburst in class the other day," Hank sighed as he threw the book over his shoulder.