Melissa McFarland Pennell – författare

Unlike the current works of literary criticism available on Nathaniel Hawthorne, which are written for specialists and more sophisticated readers, this critical introduction is designed to meet the needs of high school students and general readers for accessible yet challenging literary criticism. It features a biographical chapter that relates his life to his work, a chapter on his career and contributions to American literature, and chapters that analyze his most important short stories and novels in turn. Examined are his best known and most frequently anthologized tales, and the romances The Scarlet Letter, The House of the Seven Gables, The Blithedale Romance, and The Marble Faun. Each of the novels is discussed in a separate chapter. Of additional value in the volume is a complete bibliography of Hawthorne's work, selected bibliography of critical and biographical sources, and lists of reviews of each novel and the stories, both from the time the literature was originally published and from contemporary sources.The biographical chapter provides an overview of Hawthorne's life, including his years in Salem and Concord, Massachusetts. The chapter on his career traces Hawthorne's development as a writer, his contributions to the genre of the short story and the romance, and his influence on contemporaries and later writers. In examining the fiction itself, the chapters that follow feature close readings of texts that include analysis of setting, plot development, character development, and themes. The discussion of each novel features an alternate critical reading that introduces the reader to various critical approaches to fiction and highlights the richness in Hawthorne's work.

One of the most accomplished American writers of the early 20th century, Edith Wharton achieved both critical recognition and popular acclaim. This Student Companion provides an introduction to Wharton's fiction. Beginning with her life and career, the volume places Wharton in the context of her times, focusing on how she was shaped by the culture of wealth and privilege into which she was born. Her struggle to resist the demands of her social world paralleled her characters' lives and contributed to the power of her writing. Included are an in-depth discussion of her writing, along with analyses of thematic concerns, character development, historical context, and plot. A close critical reading covers each of her major works, with a full chapter devoted to each: The House of Mirth (1905), Ethan Frome (1911), Summer (1917), The Age of Innocence (1920), and her two novellas, Madame de Treymes (1907) and The Old Maid (1924).Another chapter addresses Wharton's short stories and considers some of her most famous and anthologized tales, such as The Other Two and Roman Fever. This companion is ideal for students who are reading Wharton for the first time, or for general readers who are seeking a greater understanding of her writing. A select bibliography offers suggestions for further reading about Wharton and includes criticism and contemporary reviews of her work.

The Romantic movement led to some of the greatest works of 19th-century American literature. Written expressly for students, this book offers succinct introductions to 10 of the most important works of American Romanticism, many of which reflect the social, political, and historical concerns of the era. Included are chapters on Emerson's essays, Poe's The Raven and selected stories, Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, and several other major texts or collections. Each chapter provides biographical information, a review of the author's critical reception, and a discussion of characters, plot, themes, language, and other topics. The volume closes with a bibliography of primary and secondary sources.Romanticism significantly influenced American literature in the 19th century and led to what has sometimes been called the American Renaissance. The Romantic movement and the period roughly contemporaneous with the Civil War gave birth to some of the most creative and enduring poems, novels, short fiction, and essays. These works are among the most imaginative and challenging pieces of American literature and hold a central place in the curriculum. In addition to their value as literary works, they chronicle the enormous social, political, and historical changes taking place in America. Written expressly for high school students, this book conveniently introduces the major works of American Romanticism.The volume begins with an introductory essay on the Romantic movement. This is followed by chapters on individual works or collections by major authors. Included are chapters on: Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans Dickinson's poems Emerson's essays Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Longfellow's Evangeline Melville's Moby-Dick Poe's The Raven and short fiction Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin Thoreau's Walden Whitman's Song of MyselfEach chapter provides biographical information, a review of the author's critical reception, and a discussion of plot, themes, characters, language, and other topics. The volume closes with a bibliography.

This annotated edition of The Scarlet Letter enhances student and reader comprehension of a standard work studied in literature classes, exploring names, places, objects, and allusions.