Readings on "The Scarlet Letter"

School Library Journal

Gr 9 UpAfter opening with a brief biography of Hawthorne, this collection of essays addresses various aspects of the novel. Essays on the major characters and their roles, style, the use of allegory, structure, the Puritan society, and the meaning of the "Scarlet A" are included. They are written by notable critics such as Mark Van Doren, Henry James, Roy R. Male, and Gordon Roper as well as by more recently published critics such as Claudia Durst Johnson, Alison Easton, and Frederick Newberry. These essays provide modern insights into Hawthorne's writing along with the historical and cultural context in which he wrote. There is some biographical information on each critic. These selections provide excellent information that can be understood by the average high school student. There is some overlap in authors with David B. Kesterson's Critical Essays on Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter (G. K. Hall, 1988), but the presentation makes Greenhaven's essays accessible to more students.Debbie Feulner, Northwest Middle School, Greensboro, NC