Hoffman uses many natural images (stars, flowers, animals, fields, woods, rivers) throughout the novel. What purpose does nature serve in the novel? What secondary themes does the natural imagery indicate?

The Scarlet Letter inspires many of The Invisible Hour’s plot points and themes. Read one of Hawthorne’s other works of fiction. How does Hoffman use that novel or short story in The Invisible Hour? Use specific examples from the text in your response.

Magical realism requires that a work of literature blend elements of magic with the realistic or mundane. Identify three instances of magic or magical thinking in the novel and connect those moments with the closest realistic description or event. How does the magic enhance or clarify the realism in these instances?