“Thus she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone.”

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Latest Season

The Scarlet Letter

Join the Literately crew as we read, discuss, and annotate Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic, The Scarlet Letter. Set in 1600’s Puritanical Boston, Hester Prynne is cast out by her fellow Bostonians and forced to wear a bright red letter A on her clothing every day as a warning to all that she is an adulterer. Wearing this badge of shame, Hester’s kindness endears her to the community, all while her fellow villagers wonder at the identity of her daughter’s father.

Along the way, will use our Flashlights method to call attention to character development (Signs of Life), symbolism (Crash Symbols), important quotes (Something to Say), and recurring themes (Theme Team). Then, at the end of each episode, we will give our three Highlights for the chapters that we cover, helping readers recognize the key moments of the story as it unfolds as well as the literary subtleties that can be easy to overlook.

Don’t be intimidated by this essential piece of American literature; grab your Flashlights and read with us!

Click play on the media player below to listen to the Table of Contents episode.

About Us

Literately

An Active Reading Experience

Designed by learning specialists to support readers working through the reading process, Literately takes the best aspects of audiobooks and combines them with the best aspects of podcasts.

We think that audiobooks are awesome…but we also think that they don’t often allow listeners the opportunity to fully process important literary elements in the moment. The Literately model sets itself apart by incorporating discussion points throughout each chapter, where hosts Alex Doyle and Erica Dunne stop to identify character development, symbolism, important quotes, and recurring themes.

While reading is an independent task, stories are best enjoyed and understood when we experience them together. Grab your book, a pencil, and some headphones, and lets read!

“Literately helped me keep track of what was going on in the book and also helped me know when to annotate and note down important thoughts. I thought the audio also really helped with my comprehension. It was not as hard to follow along through the book and my mind didn’t get as drained. I hope you continue it so you can help even more kids.”

-Student Testimonial

This Madman Stuff

The Catcher in the Rye

Holden Caulfield is one of American literature’s most well-known and divisive teenage protagonists. Holden pushes audiences away with his obstinate, obnoxious behavior; however, taking the time to understand the reasons for Holden’s behavior makes his story much more relatable and compelling. In an age of mental health awareness, Holden’s experiences remind us that grief, depression, and anxiety impact all of us, regardless of privilege.

Power up your Flashlights and read along with us as we annotate, paying special attention to symbolism and the recurring themes of privilege and mental health.

Click play on the media player below to listen the Table of Contents episode.

“I can’t explain what I mean. And even if I could, I’m not sure I’d feel like it.”

The Catcher in the Rye

J.D. Salinger