LAST WEEK we nearly finished reviewing some of the preliminary Puritan literature, including the sermon "On Christian Charity," the late 19th century "Puritan Maiden's Diary" and the early 19th century "Minister's Black Veil." We also finished reviewing the first drafts of our first unit essay. Most students turned in their revisions last week. We are now starting to read Arthur Miller's play The Crucible.

Monday

Collect the answers to "Minister's Black Veil," and a lecture on why Father Hooper refused throughout life to show his face. We will also read "A Note on the Historical Accuracy of This Play" on page 2 of your script, and we'll discuss Miller's use of the Puritans as a device of criticizing 1950s America.
HW: Read the beginning of act one, pages 3-13, up to "A Word about Thomas Putnam."

Tuesday

Small group analysis of act one, followed by work on vocabulary/crossword.
HW: Read up to page 19 in your script, up to, "Proctor was a farmer in his middle thirties."

Wednesday

Small group analysis of act one, followed by work on vocabulary/crossword.
Continue reading in act one, this time up to page 24, the playwright's note, "Everything is quiet."

Thursday

Small group analysis of act one, followed by work on vocabulary/crossword.
HW: Read up to page 34, to Hale's line, "Pray you, someone take these!"

Friday

Small group analysis of act one, followed by work on vocabulary/crossword. We will also begin watching a long documentary on Miller and his professional and personal relationship with famous director Elia Kazan, entitled None Without Sin.
HW: Finish reading act one for class on Monday.