Today we studied how an individual's response to societal laws reveals character . Focusing on the text, I noted how Hester's isolation and removal from society has unchained her from Puritanical values and opened a door to a philosophical reimagining of a society where women are equal to men. By contrast, we noted how Arthur Dimmesdale as a minister remains tied to societal laws and will always be so notwithstanding his momentary freedom with Hester in the forest. Again, we addressed the symbolism and use of sunlight in the reading particularly as it relates to Pearl who represents a type of freedom neither Dimmesdale nor Hester can experience. In this regard, Joshua discussed the importance of Hester's removing the symbol from her breast and tossing it into the forest only to have it refastened by Pearl.