Demon Hunters: Book 1 Faith [editing]

Chapter 15

Riley offered to share her book of The Scarlet Letter with Zoe. "Just follow along with me. You can pick up a copy of it later or maybe from the library." So they huddled close over the pages while Mrs. Willow rattled on about puritan beliefs and theocratic societies.

Riley took ample notes from her summary of the introduction. Zoe just wrote down everything Riley did, wanting to fit in though it really didn't matter. The day was Wednesday, and she expected to be gone by Friday for sure.

"Now, let's take a look at the opening pages of The Scarlett Letter. What grabs your attention?" A few students noted the symbolism of the rose bush blooming by the prison door. Others spoke about the way the town's women gossiped about Hester and her ornate scarlet letter that was embroiled on her blouse.

"This wasn't the most exciting read," Riley said. "I prefer love stories with werewolves and vampires."

Those things aren't real. Only demons and angels are real. Some demons manifest in different forms or manipulate the actions of animals, but nothing like the fictional characters that humans come up with for their stories and movies. Nonetheless, Zoe nodded in agreement.

"I really haven't read the second chapter, but I'll try to get some of that done at cheerleading practice."

Zoe pointed to the crutches. "Are you healed enough to practice?"

Riley sighed. "I know. This totally sucks, and homecoming is next week. I'm still going to go. You know, to be a support to the team."

"That's very noble of you."

"Noble? I've never been called noble before."

The word noble might be a compliment better suited to an angel. "It's just nice." Then she thought this would be a good opportunity to get closer to Mrs. Roland. "Would you mind if I join you?"

"Sure. Can you carry my bag? Diego has choir practice after school."

"I can do that."

"So, you want to be a cheerleader?" Riley glanced down Zoe's body. "I can see it."

"No. I'm just curious. That's all."

Mrs. Willow paused in her teaching and zeroed in on the two of them. "Zoe," she called. "I know you just joined class yesterday, but I was wondering if you had a chance to read the first two chapters of this book?"

Riley glanced nervously at Zoe and mouthed the word, Sorry. She held up her copy of the book and pointed to notes she had left on the margin about the opening scene.

"No, but I've read this before."

"Oh, you have?" Mrs. Willow's eyebrows raised. Zoe could tell this wasn't the answer she had been expecting. "Okay, then, tell us what you think about the beginning here."

"The initial chapters set the stage for the moral theme that Hawthorne is trying to convey in the text. For example, the beginning lines of description about the prison communicate the puritan belief that all humans are born from sin. He writes, 'The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariable recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison' Hawthorne is saying that all humans commit sin and die.

"Later, he describes how the town gossips judge Hester for her sin. One woman yells out, 'At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead.' These women deflect attention away from their own shallowness and sin towards Hester. But, unlike these women, Hester embodies the acceptance of sin in the world and instead embraces her daughter and touches the letter 'to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real.' Hester acknowledges her realities, which like a confession, is the first step towards redemption."