The Scarlet Letter is the story of Hester Prynne, a young Puritan woman who has had an illegitimate child. Despite being publicly humiliated by wearing a large scarlet letter 'A' on her dress, Hester refuses to reveal the identity of her child's father, even as the vindictive newcomer Chillingworth becomes determined to make her confess. This story explores the themes of sexual liberation, sin, and vengeance.
Boasting the largest collection of book summaries, BookRags is the best option for titles you can't find elsewhere. They offer all of the basics (quotes, chapter summary, characters, historical context, literary criticism) but also walk through a few major topics that recur throughout the book, which can be particularly useful for essay writing.
Boasting the largest collection of book summaries, BookRags is the best option for titles you can't find elsewhere. They offer all of the basics (quotes, chapter summary, characters, historical context, literary criticism) but also walk through a few major topics that recur throughout the book, which can be particularly useful for essay writing.
The most popular website for book notes. SparkNotes was created by students for students, and their summaries are accessible and extremely well-written. Besides the usual plot overview, chapter summaries, and character analysis, SparkNotes differentiates itself with a section discussing themes, motifs, and symbols.
The original provider of professionally-written study guides, Cliffs Notes were available in print form before the Internet even existed. Their content is very comprehensive and includes an analysis of characters, detailed chapter by chapter summaries, critical essays, essay topics, and many other sections.
Their book summaries aren't as good as other providers, but PinkMonkey often has interesting insights that aren't mentioned elsewhere on the Internet. For example, they go over literary elements (like setting, conflict, and mood), compare and contrast, and symbolism/motifs. It's a good site if you want to find a unique fact or angle that other students don't know about.
You won't get any frills with GradeSaver -- just the content you expect. Their study guides include a full plot summary, themes and character analysis, study questions, and the e-text of the book. One hidden gem is their collection of literature essays, but you'll have to pay for it.
If you're bored by traditional book notes, try Shmoop! They write their summaries in an approachable, entertaining style. Their comprehensive offering includes chapter by chapter summaries, themes, quotes, character analysis, study quizzes, and even flash cards and infographics.
From the creators of SparkNotes, this website tracks which chapters each theme and symbol appear in. You can also search for quotes by character or theme. Highly recommended if you are writing an essay on a particular theme or character.
Very bare bones and an out-of-date web design. You'll find a character list, book summary, and author biography on this site, but it's not as comprehensive as other providers.
Use this website only if you're extremely pressed for time, like the morning of an exam. They offer a very short plot summary and a list of characters and quotes. However, you won't find much analysis or even a chapter summary.
Use this website only if you're extremely pressed for time, like the morning of an exam. They offer a very short plot summary and a list of characters and quotes. However, you won't find much analysis or even a chapter summary.