The novel The Scarlet Letter begins with a special introductory chapter called "The Custom-House." In it, Nathaniel Hawthorne describes his approach to writing in the romance genre (his style of writing). Understanding what Hawthorne is saying about his writing style may help give you some insights into understanding the rest of the novel, too.

According to Hawthorne, the perfect place for writing a romance is in a familiar room in the evening, with the moonlight making every object visible. Unlike the glare of the sunshine, the moonlight "spiritualizes" the room, erasing its physical substance and giving it "strangeness and remoteness." In moonlight, the real and fairy-tale worlds may meet and mingle.

A dim coal fire also contributes to this process, Hawthorne says. The warm glow of the fire mixes with the cold spirituality of the moonlight to add heart and tenderness to the imagination.

This description of how a romantic writer should work gives the reader insight on how to approach the novel. It, too, is a story told in this blend of moonlight and coal fire, in which intellectual ideas mix with human passions. As you read, look for moments where the real and the fairy-tale worlds meet in The Scarlet Letter. How does Hawthorne make the real seem fantastic, or the fantastic appear real?

Hawthorne himself criticizes his novel for being too somber and serious, for having too few soft, tender human influences. He suggest that he may have spent too much time in the moonlight while writing it — he needed more fire! What do you think?