Olivia Schuster: Reflections on "The Timeless Feminism of Nathaniel Hawthorne" Paper

The process of seeing this paper go from first draft to publication is an incredible feat that I feel so privileged to have. I came up with the topic for this paper because I admired the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and after reading “The Birth-Mark” in my Literary Interpretation class, it made me think of when I read The Scarlet Letter in high school. I thought to myself, “Is there a way I could compare the two works?” So, I reread each piece, noting the prominent female characters in them. For “The Birth-Mark” it was Aylmer’s wife Georgiana, and in The Scarlet Letter it was the protagonist, Hester Prynne. When I was done taking notes, I made comparisons of their views on concepts like beauty, romance, and how their independence or lack thereof connects to their relationships.

When revising this paper for 1-Week Critique, I considered citations that could have used more explanation or justification of their inclusion in the paper. I also thought about further points I could make about the parallels between Georgiana and Hester’s characters and their relationships with the men in their lives. The assistance I received from 1-Week Critique was also greatly appreciated. They pointed out grammar and syntax errors that I would normally miss when revising by myself, and made my paper more understandable. Revising the paper also reminded me how insightful it was when first drafting to view two of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s most famous works through a feminist critical lens in the first place, especially when considering Hawthorne’s life at the time and how his own relationship to his wife influenced his stories.

Joining the larger literary-criticism community, I found it important that my message and claim be concise and understandable. Being someone who tends to over explain my thinking or go in circles with the point I try to make, I enjoyed refining my paper to make it the best it could be and easier for a wider audience to understand and hopefully enjoy reading. It’s such an honor for my paper to be introduced to a greater world of literary critics and appreciators alike, especially those who are fond, one way or another, of the stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne.