Today's sessions focused on the ongoing subjective interpretations of symbols, the use of light imagery as a symbol ,and the introduction of Hester Prynne as a feminist revolutionary . We first noted how the scarlet "A" transfigures from a symbol of shame to a symbol of Hester's strong spirit. It is perceived to symbolize "Abel" and "Angel", not adulteress. We noted the parallelism in the scenes where Hester's isolation has produced an almost telepathic empathy with others who must hide their sins and the scene wherein Dimmesdale too achieves a spiritual empathy with his parishioners in his silent lone suffering. We studied thematic elements in the text suggesting that hypocrisy and lying about one's sin are darker sins than the sin itself as well as the light/dark imagery that complements this element. Last, we parsed Hester's newly discovered intellectual spirit as she recognizes that society has used women as the repository of all men's sins and that a new world and moral order (which tears down the old!) which will require men to change their nature must precede the advent of a fair society for women. I introduced the life and philosophy of Margaret Fuller, perhaps the earliest feminist, and discussed how Margaret Fuller's ideas are embodied in the character of Hester Prynne,. I have distributed supplemental material on M.Fuller which I assigned for homework.