During our first session we worked on developing a thesis statement and composing a paragraph that addressed how imagery evokes the mood of Act II and the symbolic meaning of the imagery.I discussed how to form a sentence that captures all of the question by addressing the terms imagery, mood and symbolism. After Nina composed her first draft, we discussed how her well developed textual examples of imagery also suggest the use of the"pathetic fallacy" and how to incorporate that additional literary device into her paragraph. After we explored the symbolism of the imagery, Nina supplemented her essay to discuss the parallels between the forboding dark imagery and Macbeth's moral decay. During the second session, we studied the first two scenes of Act III. As Nina needed assistance with the abundance of metaphorical language, we parsed a number of passages and I explained the meaning of the passages. Last, we considered again whether the tragedy of Macbeth is a tragedy of Fate/Fortune or hamartia in light of Macbeth's calling on "FATE" to aid him in his plot to murder Banquo. Nina discussed the pervasive role of the supernatural in the play opining that the play would be better constructed without the repeated witchcraft.

We completed our examination of ACT I today by exploring how Shakespeare inverts traditional gender roles . We first studied Macbeth's hesitancy to murdering Duncan . Nina astutely noted the comparison to Brutus' soliloquy in "Caesar" wherein Brutus internally debates whether to join the conspiracy. We continued to parse the play's metaphors . Here, Macbeth acknowledges he has no cause to "spur" him on other than ambition and that if he "vaults too high" he will fall. Nina practiced writing a quote analysis and we examined the metaphor's reference to both horse vaulting and Aristotle's theory of the tragic fall . We then examined Lady Macbeth's soliloquies and actions and noted how Macbeth is dominated and manipulated by his forceful wife who emasculates him with insults and assumes the traditional male role as she calls upon the spirits to "unsex" her. After reviewing Nina's study guide answers to Act I, we watched a performance of Act I recorded at the Kennedy Center . We discussed the director's interpretation of various scenes ,especially of the witches.

We studied Macbeth's soliloquies noting how his ambition begins to erode his moral hesitancy to kill King Duncan. In this regard, we parsed Shakespeare's metaphorical language comparing Malcolm to " a step that " Macbeth must fall upon or "overleap." We further studied the soliloquy of Lady Macbeth wherein she connives how she will infuse her husband with the will to act upon his ambition rather than submit to his "milk of human kindness." Nina did well in recognizing Lady Macbeth as a malignant force in the play's universe. I commented on the historical Macbeth and Lady Macbeth noting that historically Lady Macbeth played no part in Duncan's murder and Macbeth was hardly the tyrant Shakespeare portrays. I explained that Shakespeare needed to alter history to compose a "tragedy " of hamartia .

We carefully studied the first three scenes to identify the prevalent motif of paradox that first appears in the opening scene's announcement that "fair is foul and foul is fair." After discussing the multiple paradoxical phrases, we interpreted their purpose as a reflection of the themes of deception and reality vs illusion. Nina did well in finding textual support for his characterization of Macbeth as both loyal and violent and we discussed why Macbeth's latent violent tendencies can foreshadow other events in the play. In this regard, I reviewed the definition of "iambic pentameter" as well as two theories of tragedy , a tragedy of fate/fortune and tragedy due to a tragic flaw or hamartia . I further reviewed the nuanced distinction between tragic flaw and harmartia and we examined what theory of tragedy might apply to the play given the appearance of the supernatural (the witches) early on. To assist in comprehension, I explained how best to use of the marginal annotations, and the synopsis that appears at the beginning of. each scene and broke down some of the metaphorical language the appears in the first scenes. Towards the end of the second session, we reviewed Nina's rewrite of her final essay on "The Great Gatsby" and discussed how to sharpen the essay's focus.

As Nina indicated she encountered some comprehension issues with the first Act of the play, we first addressed Nina's plot questions . We then turned our attention to the opening scene and I explained the witches as forces of mischief and evil. In that regard, we noted the setting of thunder and lightning and discussed the use and purpose of this imagery. I introduced and defined the concept of the "pathetic fallacy" where human emotions are attributed to Nature. We then studied the meaning and implications of the paradox that acts as a motif in the play-"Fair is foul and foul is fair." Last, we looked at the study guide questions and discussed how to use the guide to aid in comprehension.

Today's lesson was an introductory lesson on Shakespeare's Macbeth. I reviewed highlights from the life of Shakespeare and discussed Holinshed's Chronicles as the source of Shakespeare's play. We further reviewed elements of the Elizabethan drama ( ghosts)and discussed the venues where Shakespeare's presented his plays: The Globe, Blackfriars,and at the Royal Court. In this regard, I provided background into the ascendancy of James I ,the Scottish King, and related thematic and plot elements of the play to James I's reign . Last, I discussed how Shakespeare's use of asides and soliloquies vault Shakespeare's plays into the arena of the literary canon .These devices unveil the consciousness of the characters and provide the foundation for the dramatic tension and irony often found in Shakespeare's plays

Nina completed the multiple choice section of her final test on the novel during today's session.

We studied both Daisy's and Jordan's character at the end of the novel. We specifically explored some of the well known passages wherein the narrator observes that the careless rich cause harm and disappear into their money and leave others to clean up their mess. Nina provided textual examples to support the narrator's observation. We also addressed why the narrator claims Gatsby's story is really a story of the West even though the novel is set in New York. I addressed the perception of the West , where the narrator returns, as representing a more stable and innocent place. We will consider the theme of lost innocence tomorrow as we study the novel's closing pages.

While Fitzgerald favored titling the novel "Trimalchio" , we discussed the differences between this character of classic literature and Gatsby. As Nina noted, Trimalchio is a crass pretentious boor while Gatsby is a tragic idealist . I then explored the contrasting symbols of the green light and the Valley of Ashes, and we discussed the novel in terms of these symbols specifically whether the green light of Gatsby's hopes is totally obscured by the ashes and corruption that surrounds him. We further noted how Gatsby and Mr Wilson, both aptly die at the novel's conclusion having lost their love to same man, the elite and careless Tom Buchanan . In reviewing Nina's study guide answers, we last addressed the interesting reoccurrence of the watchful but unmoving God -like eyes of Dr Ecklberg and inquired into any religious tones the novel may generate as well as the significance of Nick's final remark to Gatsby that "they are a rotten crowd .You're worth more than the rest of them put together." As we conclude our study over the next days, we will consider whether Gatsby is indeed Great as the title pronounces.

Fitzgerald wanted to name to the novel "Trimalchio of West Egg". As the single reference to classic character Trimachio, remains in our most recent chapter, I today provided more detail on how Gatsby resembles Trimalchio and why this reference perhaps gives us insight into the author's predominant theme. We discussed the paradox of Gatsby's "innocent corruption" and why the narrator ,Nick, holds all of the very rich in contempt except for Gatsby. I then broadened the thematic focus to include the notion of America as a corrupted Eden, as symbolized by the Valley of Ashes that Gatsby passes through multiple times yet somehow maintains his idealism(or fantasy). We studied the tense NYC scenes wherein Gatsby confronts Tom and examined why Daisy ,when faced with the truth about how Gatsby acquired his wealth, retreats back into her monied cloister, her marriage.Last we studied the author's diction ,specifically Gatsby's "dead dream" and the car's "driving onward toward death " as both indicative of the destruction of Gatsby's fantasy and a foreshadowing of the novel's conclusion. We further reviewed Nina's homework study guide answers.