conversation about past weekend and other general topics

introvert vs. extrovert:
writing: self-evaluation

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.

We will do several problems to complete the study of trig integrals. We will do examples of integration by trig substitution. This is a new topic, but it is closely related to the previous topics.

We first completed an exercise identifying how diction in the Scarlet Letter conveys the narrator's perspective of Roger Chillingworth. We then studied how the scene wherein Pearl sees her fleeting reflection in a pool of water complements the theme of reality vs illusion and the similar conflict between a person's moral persona and his true inner self . In this regard ,we noted the role of sunlight imagery.Last, we explored how the author symbolically employs the settings of the forest and the town.

We will review several important trig identities. I will introduce the topic by working with Joshua on solving several basic examples to demonstrate the process. We will then look at examples in the text to practice using the integration techniques.

We continued to trace the role of symboiic interpretation as society and even Chillingworth now view the scarlet "A" as obsolete or a sign of dignity and honor.We further noted the narrative perspective of Chillingworth drenched in satanic allusions. Today , I also provided instruction on the life of Margaret Fuller a 19th Century intellectual and what we would today call a feminist. I discussed how Margaret Fuller's writings materialize in Heater Prynne's intellectual freedom. In the strict puritanical society ,Hester becomes an iconoclast and asserts that society's gender roles must be torn down and reimagined so that women can shed their "ethereal " existence.

We will finally finish this very difficult material. We will discuss the homework problems that were carried over from the previous session. We will begin trigonometric integrals and trigonometric substitution tomorrow.

Today we examined how symbolic interpretation adds complexity to the text. We noted how Dimmesdale perceives the meteor that lights up the sky as the letter"A" while the sexton interprets the A -like shape to signify "angel." We further analyzed textual passages the elucidate the conflict between a character's persona and his true self and then discussed the passages arguing that such disparity in effect causes the individual to evaporate or cease to exist. In this way, I addressed how ironically the narrator portrays the branded sinner ,Hester, as the character least tainted . I further introduced the symbolic contrast between light and darkness , and ,black and red, that pervade the novel.

Joshua continued cutting out the next parts of his layered star design.

I worked with Joshua to begin constructing his design.