CliffsNotes on Hawthorne's the Scarlet Letter

Susan van Kirk

Language: English

Publisher: Wiley

Published: May 21, 2000

Description:

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

In CliffsNotes on Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, you explore life in 17th-century Massachusetts as you follow the ordeal of Hester Prynne, who has been found guilty of adultery and sentenced to wear a scarlet letter A on her dress as a sign of shame. The Scarlet Letter is considered to be Hawthorne's finest work, depicting a world where the real meets the unreal, the actual meets the imaginary—in a classic story that is difficult to forget.

This study guide carefully walks you through every step of Hester's journey by providing summaries and critical analyses of each chapter of the novel. You'll also explore the life and background of the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and gain insight into how he came to write The Scarlet Letter. Other features that help you study include

  • Character analyses of major players
  • A character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the characters
  • Critical essays on the novel's setting and structure, symbolism, and classification as a gothic romance
  • A review section that tests your knowledge
  • A Resource Center full of books, articles, films, and Internet sites

Classic literature or modern-day treasure—you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

From the Publisher

CliffsNotes reinforce learning and help students explore themes, literary devices, and character development. Newly revised for today's readers, CliffsNotes provide keys to learning like no other study aid. Icons throughout the book highlight essential elements of particular interest:

Theme: Reveals the underlying themes in the work Character Insight: Helps you to more easily relate or discover the depth of a character Literary Device: Uncovers elements such as setting, atmosphere, mystery, passion, violence, irony, symbolism, tragedy, foreshadowing, and satire Style & Language: Enables you to appreciate the nuances of words and phrases

From the Back Cover

39 New and Revised Titles. The Best Just Got Better! Plus Glossary from Webster's New World™ Dictionary Anthem Atlas Shrugged Beowulf Brave New World The Canterbury Tales The Catcher in the Rye The Contender The Crucible The Fountainhead Frankenstein The Grapes of Wrath Great Expectations The Great Gatsby Hamlet Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer Huckleberry Finn The Iliad Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Inherit the Wind Jane Eyre Julius Caesar The Killer Angels King Lear Lord of the Flies Macbeth 1984 The Odyssey The Oedipus Trilogy The Once and Future King Othello The Outsiders Pride and Prejudice The Red Badge of Courage Romeo and Juliet The Scarlet Letter A Separate Peace A Tale of Two Cities To Kill a Mockingbird Wuthering Heights See inside for the complete line-up of available CliffsNotes! Check Out the All-New CliffsNotes Guides To AOL®, iMacs™, eBay®, Windows® 98, Investing, Creating Web Pages, and more! More Than Notes! CliffsComplete™ CliffsTestPrep™ CliffsQuickReview™ CliffsAP™ Over 300 CliffsNotes Available @ cliffsnotes.com Downloadable 24 hours a day Free daily e-mail newsletters Free tips, tricks, and trivia Free online CliffsNotes catalog Free self-assessment tools Freeware and shareware downloads

About the Author

SUSAN VAN KIRK holds a B.A. from Knox College and an M.Ed. from University of Illinois. She has taught English for 30 years in Monmouth, Illinois.