Answer
The answer is "The Scarlet Letter". Set in Puritanical Boston, the novel explores themes of sin, guilt, and redemption through the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her chest as a punishment for adultery. With psychological depth and vivid imagery, Hawthorne's literary masterpiece offers a profound examination of human nature, making it a defining work of American literature.