Olivia participated in class discussion today on the final chapters of the novel. We first discussed how Hawthorne revives his criticism of Puritan society in the final chapters and notes how the stringent moral code of the 1850s still owes its origins to the Puritans.We continued to analyze how Hawthorne emphasizes the varying interpretations of events and symbols ,including the death of Dimmesdale. While the novel purports to announce a theme of "Be true" ,we questioned whether truth was at the heart of the novel's message. This led to a discussion of the paradox: fiction, an artifice, being a messenger of truth. Last, we began to round out our discussion of theme by noting that Hawthorne seeks expiation from his forefather's participation in the Salem witch trials,thereby accounting for making Hester Prynne, a woman, the stronger character, and womanhood the possible savior of a reformed society. We noted the strong influence of Margaret Fuller on this aspect of Hester's character,.