The Scarlet Letter is well known for being read in schools. I, unfortunately, did not get the pleasure to read this in school, but I am glad I finally did.

I did not particularly enjoy the story of the Scarlet Letter. This is my second time reading it, the first time was in high school. However, Dr. Prior’s notes and questions in this book made it a much more enjoyable and engaging read. I wish I had a resource like this when I was reading it in high school. I would highly recommend it for personal reading, a book club, or teaching it to high school and college students.

The Scarlet Letter A Guide to Reading and Reflecting by Karen Swallow Prior provides valuable insights into the events and times that shaped the author's life. In addition to a revealing look at the author himself, readers gain much from the questions Prior poses about the text. Some prompt you to revisit a line or paragraph to probe for deeper meaning, interpret or reinterpret a symbol, and others examine a passage in light of its Scriptural or theological implications.

There is no need for me to give commentary on Hawthorne, so I will comment on this particular presentation instead. KSP offers a great introduction and some guiding questions to help the reader. This entire series is a blessing. Beyond the content, the presentation is gorgeous as well. I have become an ebook person, but these volumes really make a physical copy preferable, simply for the aesthetics.
Great volume in a great series.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the second book in the Read and Reflect with the Classics series published by B&H Publishing that I've completed. Once again, Karen Swallow Prior provides valuable insights into the events and times that shaped the life of the author. Here are a few statements she made which lingered in the back of my mind as I read the story for the first time in over 20 years:

• One of his sons, Nathaniel’s great-great grandfather, John Hathorne, a magistrate like his father, earned infamy as one of the three judges in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Hawthorne—who later added the “w” to his last name, likely in an attempt to separate himself from his family history—wrestled with this legacy, as evidenced in many of his works, particularly The Scarlet Letter.

• While his notebooks and literary works are filled with references to God and display his extensive knowledge of the Bible, Hawthorne did not ascribe to any formal religious doctrine or organization.

• The Scarlet Letter relies on symbolism more than on plot—even more than on setting and character. Symbols are often complicated (as they are in this book), so it is essential to understand how symbols work. A symbol is something—it could be an object, color, gesture, action, etc.—that has multiple levels of meaning: a literal meaning and at least one layer of meaning that points beyond the literal level.

In addition to a revealing look at the author himself, readers gain much from the questions Prior poses about the text. Some prompt you to revisit a line or paragraph to probe for deeper meaning, to interpret or reinterpret a symbol, and others to examine a passage in light of its Scriptural or theological implications. The following questions are but a small sample of the aides to discovery included at the end of every chapter...

• How is the stranger who appears described in the second paragraph? Note that one shoulder is higher than the other. What inner quality might this physical quality symbolize? Note a similar description given in the previous chapter concerning Hester’s past life.

• What does it mean when Pearl is said to be “angel of judgment,—whose mission was to punish the sins of the rising generation”?

• How is the nature of the battle between these two men depicted in the last two paragraphs of the chapter? Consider the theological insights offered by these lines...

• Hester and Pearl’s discussion about the meaning of the “A” is an examination of symbols and their meanings. What is Pearl not understanding about the letter? What does she understand, even on her simple level? What does this conversation reveal about the complicated nature of symbols?

• How does understanding The Scarlet Letter as a romance rather than a work of realism assist in interpreting and evaluating it as a literary work?

Since the last time I read this novel was in my high school literature class, it's safe to say maturity and life experience would have lent themselves to a richer reading experience than the one I had in my youth. Yet I also want to stress how delightful it was to have Professor Prior guiding the way. I greatly value her learned opinion and plan to continue reading until I exhaust the series.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher. The opinions expressed are my own.

For those who've read and loved The Scarlet Letter before, and for those brand new to its pages, this edition offering the guidance and expertise of Karen Swallow Prior is ideal. As one who had not fully read The Scarlet Letter before, I appreciated Prior's comprehensive introduction, which includes a biography of Hawthorne, a background on this novel in particular, and commentary on the symbolism, pacing, and themes.

What sets this edition apart is its distinctly Christian commentary. Prior's writing on how to approach this text from a Christian perspective was helpful in giving me a new framework for approaching The Scarlet Letter. This series is a unique contribution to literary criticism, and I plan to collect all of them.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.