Now, let’s move to the analysis of the cheerful character of the novel - Hester’s daughter. Pearl, from the very first pages stands out against the dark Puritan society not only by her bright clothes, but also by her indomitable spirit. But we cannot say that Pearl is a fully independent image. In her existence as well as for all the other main characters, the fatal letter plays a huge role.If in the case of Hester, we found that the symbol doesn’t prevail over the artistic image, the example of Pearl represents an artistic symbol from the start to the end. Coming to this conclusion helps the author´s position in describing her appearance and behaviour. If Hester, in the eyes of the reader, appears as a very bright ,friendly and a real
She is responsible for all of the hate that is portrayed upon Hester. However, what pearl represents to Hester, is her wild side, how she can be herself and not care about what the town thinks. In chapter 14 Hester and Pearl are at the beach, “Hester bade little Pearl run down to the margin of the water,and play with the shells and tangles sea-weed, until she should have talked awhile with yonder gatherer of herbs. So the child flew away like a bird, and, making bare her small white feet, went pattering along the moist margin of the sea...the image of a little maid, whom Pearl, having no other playmate, invited to take her hand, and run a race with her. ”(154) Pearl is happy and free and influences Hester be the same way.
When Pearl looks at her mother’s reflection in a convex mirror, she claims to exclusively see the A: “the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance. In truth, she seemed absolutely hidden behind it” (95). Hawthorne clearly illustrates how Pearl and the public choose to see Hester merely as her sin. Even numerous years later, Hawthorne suggest that the townspeople still cannot view Hester
He discusses Hester's daughter, Pearl, and how the fall of Hester would also affect Pearl's livelihood. Hawthorne explains, “often impelled Hester to ask, in bitterness of heart, whether it were for ill or good that the poor little creature had been born at all.” Hesters admittance of the fact that she has contemplated whether or not Pearl deserves to be alive signifies Hawthorne's use of a complex tone. Within the statement, he shows how Hester is recognizing that the life she has brought Pearl up in is not ideal. Out of the sorrow in her heart that she has for Pearl, Hester realizes that her daughter may have been better off never being born, as Hester has lost the abilities that she once had to be a loving mother.
Pearl plays an important role in the significance of the scarlet letter. Pearl is said to be the living embodiment of the letter. So much as it is even said that “Hester dressed the child in scarlet” (J 129). Hester has several consequences resulting from her sin, Pearl
This was an age of expansion for the human intellect, and Hester imbibed (7) this spirit. This freedom of thought, though common on the other side of the Atlantic, would have been held by the townspeople as a deadlier crime than that stigmatized (8) by the scarlet letter. Her speculations (9) were often bold. It is presumed that if not for the little Pearl, she might have become an Ann Hutchinson of sorts, or a prophetess, sentenced to death for attempting to undermine (10) the foundations of the Puritan
The Puritian community feels the importance of separating Pearl from Hester, as they believe that her sin would tempt Hester to do more scandalous things. Pearl is constantly compared to the letter throughout the novel as she illustrates both Hester’s and Dimmesdale’s passion. Later in the novel, readers are able to be aware that both Hester and her lover dimmesdale are unable to forget the sin that they both committed as Pearl drives them towards confession and acceptance. Pearl acts as a disruptor within the story as she embodies both of her parents’ sins. Her unique behaviour forms an idea that she realizes more what’s happening to Hester’s situation than people let out to
Hester Prynne gains victory in her struggle against her society 's gender norms through bettering herself, being a strong maternal figure, and finding love. Hester did not care what people thought about her she did not want to tell who Pearl’s dad was. She didn’t want to put anyone
By the time Pearl was about three years old, “the red ignominy was so deeply scorched into her brain that all her conceptions assured its form” (Hawthore 65). The scarlet letter became an emblem of Hesters torture and guilt that, overtime, she began to embody. It is evident that Hester genuinely believed that the symbol became completely apart of her character, and the shame that it conveyed was well-deserved. Hester remained bearing her consequences as her form of suffering; nevertheless, she chose to remain strong and raise Pearl, the baby born from sin, to the best of her abilities in hopes that she will grow up living a more fortunate life. Her actions proved that her guilt allowed her to recognize her wrongdoings, but failed to block her from taking control of her
Refusing to tell the name of the father of her daughter Pearl, she raises her daughter on her own and the other Puritans do not help for she defaced the name of being “pure”. Hester also has to face Roger Chillingworth, for he knows who was apart of
Nonetheless, it will be hard; Hester is steadfast to make her daughter Pearl, have a life, just like any other ordinary child. Hester is a remarkable, but peculiar character,
Not the wealth that is all money and riches, but wealthy in a way where she has all that she needs in life as long as she has Pearl. Pearl is a symbol of her Mother's red letter, she represents Hester's sin and shame, but also all of the wealth she needs. Hester dresses her in scarlet as a constant reminder of what she did, but also all the good that has come from having Pearl in her life. With the fate of Pearl unknown, the reader does not know for certain whether the work is sorrowful or
“The child’s own nature had been born amiss, —the effluence of her mother’s lawless passion, —and often impelled Hester to ask, in bitterness of heart, whether it were for ill or good that the poor little creature had been born at all” (Hawthorne, 541). This shows how much she has internalized the judgment of her peers. In many other chapters, Hester perceives Pearl as a positive outcome of her sin, but in this particular quotation, Hester is questioning if it was even worth it at all. These dark thoughts and feelings continue in this chapter when Hester contemplates
Pearl is the living embodiment of of the scarlet letter. Pearl constantly reminds Hester of her sins, without meaning to. Whenever she asks questions about Dimmesdale or about the scarlet letter, Hester is reminded of the things she did wrong. Pearl is very smart child, and she likes to ask questions and learn about things. If she sees something that confuses her, she will ask her mother about it.
This effects her every day life going out in public and getting ridiculed by all the towns people she is surrounded by. Hester Prynne doesn’t just have to live with a mistake right on her shirt, but people also help her remember past. She does have her daughter or her “sole treasure.” The young girls name is pearl and she is not exactly like the others. It isn't easy because her and her mother are considered different in the community so she is lonely but very
As stated in chapter six, "Her [Hester] only real comfort was when the child lay in the placidity of sleep. Then she was sure of her, and tasted hours of quiet, sad, delicious happiness; until—perhaps with that perverse expression glimmering from beneath her opening lids—little Pearl awoke!" (Hawthorne X) Pearl is Hester 's greatest treasure, but she cost Hester everything. Because of Pearl, Hester has no chance at a happy life, but Pearl brings her happiness. Pearl is almost like a paradox.