Since I'm an English major at IU, I get to read a lot of different literature. Poe and Hawthorne are my favs.
I took a different tack when reading the Scarlett Letter. I decided to read it as individual truths instead of a social statement about religion. Each of the main characters had their own personal truths. From the Reverend to Scarlett's daughter, each individual's truth was laid bare as Hawthorne visited the characters.
I did a paper on this and was given an A and a request from several English professors to use my research as a study guide for Hawthorne.