The success and popularity of literary fiction can be attributed to its ability to comfort generations of readers conditioned to believe that uncertainty equals weakness. Stories that provide a sense of order, a substantial plot with an ending that provides closure, are generally valued for their stability. However, we find that books that remain relevant and under constant observation decades after their creation generally provide audiences with a very unique experience compared to this supposed standard of literature. Although this should normally be enough to qualify a piece of writing as "classic", some argue that if the purpose of a novel can be disputed, then perhaps the distinguished title should be used more cautiously. Norman Bryson, author of "Hawthorne's Illegible Letter," critiques The Scarlet Letter of Nathaniel Hawthorne by attacking the ambiguity of the story and the destruction of meaning that he believes vagueness creates. Bryson's title itself cleverly critiques the veil of legitimacy in Hawthorne's article by changing part of the original name. For a man with such a clever play on words, is it possible that even he is sometimes afraid of the unknown? Although he does not really portray apprehension in his writing, it seems that he found comfort in countering previous judgments with great disregard for the possibility that the constant changes in the novel would leave the reader with room for change. infinite interpretation. a positive reason. Bryson's assertion that the overwhelming uncertainty of the fictional tale obscures the supposed purpose of the novel is invalid given the likelihood that Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter to successfully describe his appreciation of the ambiguity that surrounded both the community puritan and...... middle of paper ......comprehensible and comprehensible image of a person known for embodying a certain trait, Hawthorne's vague description of his characters' outward actions allows the reader to connect his own rope between the different interior and exterior dimensions which in reality form an identity; alas, making The Scarlet Letter a more active experience than it already is. Bryson's argument that Hawthorne's ambiguity was destructive of meaning is countered by the possibility that requiring the reader's presence to interpret a variety of themes in the novel was Hawthorne's goal. Since ambiguity is a significant part of humanity, whether modern or Boston Puritan, an author can only attempt to address a perpetual, but ever-changing, concept. The Scarlet Letter successfully dares to incorporate psychology into fiction, a barrier that had barely been overcome before its time...