During our first session we discussed Nina's final essay on "The Scarlet Letter." I provided instruction on incorporating the ideas of the prompt into both the introduction and the conclusion.Further, we addressed how to draft a transition sentence from the introduction to the second paragraph . Nina then drafted a transition sentence and we examined how the transition added coherence. We additionally focused on the essay's need to fully respond to the question, and I offered suggestions on the types of sentences to add to both the first and last paragraph to ensure a complete response. Nina then drafted additional sentences to add to her final paragraph. During our second session ,we continued our analysis of the novel,"Huck Finn" by first reviewing homework vocabulary words and then entering the literary fray as to whether Mark Twain was a racist , satirizing racists, or just incorporating historically correct vernacular into the novel. We focused on Pap Finn's diatribe on African - Americans in this analysis. I also continued to expand on an analytical framework for the novel by discussing the theme of a character discovering his identity or the intrinsic values that define his identity. In this regard, I discussed the relevance of Huck's staging his own "murder" followed by his metaphorical rebirth as well as the significance of the numerous names or identities Huck assumes throughout the novel.

I outlined on the board an analytical framework for interpreting "Huck Finn" using the Land/Civilization/ Convention vs Freedom/River dichotomy. We studied the first chapters for textual support for this dichotomy ,noting Huck's rebellious attitude toward being "civilized", routine, and starched clothes vs. his lyric descriptions of the freedom from convention conferred by river, and Jackson island. We further noted Twain's satiric depiction of conventional schooling. For further analysis, I began a discussion of the novel as a thematic search for identity and a journey from innocence or ignorance toward some knowledge. I noted the symbolic relationship between old/new clothes and the quest for identity as well as the river as a bridge between the conventions of society and freedom .

We began our study of the novel, "Huck Finn" as a satire of the sentimental Romantic novels of the 19th Century and as a satire of organized religion. Nina discussed her research on the novel's allusion to Cervantes' "Don Quixote" and we discussed how both "Don Quixote" and "Huck Finn" are social satires of the picturesque and the idealized. From this juncture, we noted how Twain takes the American novel into the realm of realism through dialect and common every day characters in recognizable settings. We then examined the text to locate Twain's satire of organized religion , prayer, and common perceptions of heaven. I discussed irony and exaggeration as techniques of satire as well as the purpose of satire. Last,I noted how the use of Huck Finn, as the "innocent" undereducated narrator , provides a platform for Twain's satire and humor as Huck offers his unfiltered but keen observations of society.

We completed our introductory sessions on Mark Twain and the novel, Huck Finn. I provided biographical information, including how Samuel Clemens adopted the pen name,Mark Twain as well as historical information on the Fugitive Slave Act that plays an important backdrop to the novel. I further provided information on Twain's life as riverboat captain, and discussed his earlier novels,"Life on the Mississippi," and "Tom Sawyer." We then delved into Twain's writing style and the use of dialect as well as the historical context of his controversial continual use of the N- word in the novel,"Huck Finn." I further addressed how the novel, Huck Finn ,is often considered one of the first real American novels due its use of dialect, its depiction of common people and its satire of American societal foibles. Nonetheless, we see some lingering elements of Romanticism in the novel's portrayal of Nature. I noted the importance of the Mississippi River as a symbol in the novel and suggested that Nina formulate an interpretation of that symbol as she reads. We last looked at the opening chapter, and discussed Twain's satire of organized religion ,prayer, and the conventional perception of heaven.

I introduced the novel, Huckleberry Finn, by examining the meaning of the term ,literary canon, and by discussing the prominence the novel holds in the canon where it is considered by some to be the Great American Novel. I next described the term "satire" and examined how authors use exaggeration and verbal irony to create a humorous satire. Further, I distributed a vocabulary, dialect, and historical allusion list that I prepared . I noted how Twain's use of local dialect of everyday people sets this novel apart from other novels of the time period that tended to imitate the style and diction of British writers.

For our final lesson on this novel, we first studied how each major character closes out his/her life's conflicts: Hester returns to Boston;Chillingworth dies without the ability to torment his victim, and Dimmesdale dies while at last confessing on the scaffold. As the Romantic genre emphasizes imagination and subjectivity ,especially with regard to the interpretation of symbols, we noted how the scarlet letter has at the end of the novel become a symbol of "awe and reverence" ,not of shame and sin. In this regard, we examined the symbolic significance of the final cryptic words of the novel . In order to tie these final words and symbols to theme, we then worked on how to write and develop multi-sentence themes of the entire novel. As we discussed and developed these themes, I placed them on the board and concluded by noting where and how the novel's symbolic color imagery(red/black) fits into and supports the developed themes. We concluded on our second session by addressing final edits to Nina's college admission essay to St. Andews.

In order to assist Nina in completing her final essay on the novel, we studied the final pages of the novel and noted the red/black imagery motif in the closing words of the novel. In this regard, I defined the archaic word "gules", meaning "red." We then studied the narrative technique of the fictional narrator who offers a "moral" for the entire novel. I discussed the reliability of the narrator's conclusions and posed the question: Is this really the theme of the novel? Last, I addressed Nina's questions regarding which of the fictional characters in the novel were historical figures. We noted how Hawthorne lends an air of historical accuracy to what is clearly an imagined "tale."

Nina was absent today .

First, we reviewed Nina's essay from this week's test. We addressed how to address all of the subparts of the essay question within the context of the textual examples Nina cited. We then discussed Hawthorne's ongoing critique not only of Puritan values but also of the remnants of Puritan society that remain hundreds of years later. In this regard, we noted how the sartorial regalia of the Native Americans (and of Hester) contrast with the drab gray dress of the Puritans ,even on a festival day. We further examined Chillingworth's total moral deterioration caused by his fixation on revenge. During our second session, we worked on Nina's college entrance essay for St.Andrews.

Nina examined the text and using the analytic framework we have been discussing identified textual areas that evidenced the motifs of illusion vs reality. We related this motif to the ongoing dichotomy between who people are and who they appear to be, especially as it relates to Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. Keeping in mind the analytical. significance of the wilderness vs town conflict, we then noted how Arthur Dimmesdale experiences a transformational moment while in the forest with Hester and returns to town as a new man with a new identity. We discussed his almost perverse desire to morally offend the people he encounters as evidence of his bitter recognition that despite his vocation as a Puritan clergyman, sin is universal , yet remains hidden or disguised in most people. Last, we continued discussing and editing Nina's college essay for St Andrews.