We concluded our study of The Scarlet Letter today by first exploring the distinction between the unreliable narrator and narrative perspective as evidenced in the text.I directed Joshua's attention to certain passages and had him identify diction that illustrates the narrative perspective. We then discussed how that perspective -essentially a condemnation of Puritan values that persisted in 1850 when the novel was published -informs the theme. We discussed how Dimmesdale's death is a byproduct of Puritan values that force people to pretend to be what they can not be -in Hawthorne's view-sinless. We also studied passages wherein the narrator purports to state the novel's message and discussed whether the narrator ironically misses the very point of his own story.
We studied applications of integrals, We did some problems involving the physics concept of work. We also studied L'Hopital's rule for finding limits of indeterminate forms using derivatives. Examples were completed.
Assignment
none
Session Minutes
90
Minutes Student Attended
90
Lesson Comments
We did several problems involving the physics concept of work. We also did examples of using L'Hopital's rule to evaluate limits of indeterminate forms.
We studied the thematic value of two parallel scenes: Mistress Gibbons' confrontation with Dimmesdale and MIstress Gibbons' confrontation with Hester. Both Hester and Dimmesdale lie about their meeting in the forest. MIstress Gibbons ,an accused witch, however knows and reveals the truth thus ironically elevating an avatar of witchcraft over Puritan values.We also began to explore the role of the unreliable narrator as it applies to the frame narrative of the novel.
