Today's session addressed the relationship between characterization and theme. On the board, I created two columns ,one for Billy Budd, the other for Claggart. Joshua first identified the physical characteristics of each . In this context, I addressed the theme of the duality between physical appearance and moral rectitude. We then addressed the psychological traits of each :Billy Budd tied to innocence, Adam, and Christ and Claggart described as morally depraved. We discussed the difference between Calvinism and Melville's view of moral depravity and noted some similarity between Hawthorne/Poe and Melville . I then extrapolated themes from characterization noting how the conflict can symbolize not only a simple good vs evil but individual morality vs what Melville describes as "civilization " and its tendency to create depravity in individuals manifested in Claggart's monomaniac envy and hate of Billy Budd.