Pearl In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

From her initial introduction to the reader as the “yonder babe, (…) of some three or four months old”, Pearl represents the beauty of the truth (54). As she struggles to find answers about her mother’s scarlet A while simultaneously growing up, Pearl identifies as an innocent character, despite her creation. It is frequently noted that she looks similar to the scarlet letter that her mother so reluctantly bears, with her “bright complexion [and] eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow, and hair already of a deep, glossy brown” (76). Her similar appearance to the scarlet letter furthers her permanent connection to the letter. Additionally, it highlights the notion that her mother will likely never be able to look at her without reminiscing upon her sin. As Pearl develops, her fire-like actions and dark appearance further molds her into the fleshly expression of Hester’s adultery. Furthermore, Hawthorne ensures to characterize Pearl throughout the novel as a friend to the sunlight, a friend to the truth. As she begins to pick determine that Dimmesdale is her father, the sunlight welcomes her. This is because she is the only innocent character who is not afraid to step into the sun’s rays. Pearl recognizes the light’s love for her and audibly notes, “the

The significance about the fact that Pearl would not bring her the scarlet letter is that it signifies that she must personally “bear its torture a little longer” (144) and could not “hide it” (144). Therefore, Pearl was making Hester fully responsible for her own sins.

Her mother was forced to live in a world with no escape from the symbol and the stigma of it. She is seen later at the age of seven playing in a creek and she forms a letter “A” on her chest with green eel-grass. “‘I wonder if mother will ask me what it means!’ thought Pearl”(185) This quote illustrates that she was not just playing around, instead she was making an effort to make her mother acknowledge the symbol as it was once again and that she was a living part if that symbol. She later asks her mother what the scarlet letter means, relating it to Hester and to Arthur Dimmesdale, with his hand over his chest all the time. Her questioning her mother on this forced her mother to think about the effect she already knew it had on herself, and what it did to Dimmesdale and his hiding of the sin he committed and the constant sign of that Pearl

Nathaniel shows hatred and perceptiveness because of Pearl wanting to know the true meaning of the scarlet letter. “Silly Pearl, what questions are these? There are many things in this world that a child must not ask about. What know I of the minister’s heart? And as for the scarlet letter, I wear it for the sake of it’s gold thread!” Hester then asks Pearl is she is aware of the meaning it holds for her. However, it is clear that Pearl does not know it’s true meaning and Hester does not enlighten her because she feels Pearl is not mature enough to understand it. Pearl continues to inquire about the scarlet letter’s origins. Hester adds more weight on her own back by lying to Pearl about why she wears the scarlet letter. Pearl interrogates her mother about the A on her bosom. This represents that Pearl will find out about the true meaning of the letter later in the

Also, Pearl has a strange attachment to the scarlet letter. As a baby, she would reach out and try to grab it on her mother's breast (Hawthorne 87). She seems to innately realize that it has great significance, but when she confronts Hester about it, her mother lies to her, telling Pearl that she wears it because of its beautiful gold thread. This scene shows an excellent example of innocent curiosity from Pearl, and Hester's lying because of societal regulations (Hawthorne 164).

She touches the scarlet letter, but little does she know that she is the reason for the punishment. They are social outcasts, so they don’t leave their house much. Pearl plays alone and has best friends that are imaginary. She distrusts her own imaginary friends for the same reason that she distrusts all the Puritans in the colony. People treat Hester and Pearl differently than everyone else is treated. She only loves Hester, because Hester spends time with her and is a good mother. She plays with her and teaches her Bible stories. Pearl knows the whole catechism at the age of three, but refuses to say it to anyone. She is smarter than everyone thinks she is. Chillingworth speaks to Pearl about the scarlet letter. He asked her if she knew the reason why her mother must wear the scarlet letter all the time. She replies, “Yes, that is the same reason why the preacher holds his hand over his heart.” Pearl asks her mom all the time the reason why she wears the scarlet letter and why the preacher holds his hand over his heart. She knows that they both do, but she doesn’t know why. Hester tells her that she wears it because of the pretty gold thread, but she doesn’t know the minister’s reason. Later in the story, Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl meet in the forest, and Hester rips the scarlet letter off. Pearl gets mad then, because she knows that her mother is supposed to wear it. Dimmesdale kisses Pearl, but she washes the kiss off with

Hester noted that “Pearl misses something which she has always seen me wear” (Hawthorne 252). Pearl grew up viewing the scarlet letter upon her mother’s bosom leading her to be confused when her mother no longer wore it. This single moment led Hester to wear the letter for her daughter’s protection for the rest of her life. Hester managed to look past the pain and suffering for her own daughter, leading her on the path of defeating her suffering. Due to her opinions and following of the scarlet letter, she led to her own suffering and

The scarlet letter represents Pearl's emotional attachment to Hester. For instance, Pearl is as deeply affectionate to the

Pearl associated the letter with her mother before she could even talk. She would constantly play games with it, either throwing flowers in the air and cheering when one would land upon it or recreating one out of seaweed for herself, and pestering her reluctant mother for answers about the background of the symbol. In the forest, Pearl can be seen as a wood nymph with flowers in her hair while her mother speaks to the reverend. When Hester returns and calls Pearl over, she “. . . stretched out her hand, with the small forefinger extended, and pointing evidently towards her mother’s breast” (117). Pearl cannot recognize her mother without the letter.

Hester proves that she is strong by not letting the punishment or her sin hinder her from living a successful life. Despite having to wear the bright “letter A” at all times wherever she goes she still manages to raise Pearl and make a living all by herself. Hester shows her strength in many ways, one being when she shouts to the governor, “God gave her into my keeping… I will not give her up!”(Hawthorne 90). When the governor saw Pearl and Hester he tries to take Pearl from Hester because he thinks that Hester is not fit to raise her. She stays strong the whole time that Governor Bellingham argued that Pearl should not be in her care. In this moment she is very impulsive, and she shows her true strength and love for Pearl by fighting to keep her. She also shows strength by bearing the burden of the letter as if it were not there, Hawthorne writes, “She had not known the weight, until she felt the freedom!”(Hawthorne 159). When Hester finally took the scarlet letter off, she immediately felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, but she is so strong that she did not even notice it. When she called Pearl however, Pearl would not come because she did not recognize her without it on her and she had to put it back on. Once she put it back on, all of the freedom

Hester Prynne, the mother of Pearl, is guilty of Adultery. She reveals this to the world by embroidering a scarlet letter A on her blouse. While she stood on the scaffold in front of the town the letter seemed to shine so brightly, as to draw all eyes to the letter and nothing else. The light was only part of her repentance for her sin, having revealed it publicly. The light is almost harmful to Hester, as she had began to hallucinate whilst in the presence of the small town wondering if she was in a dream. Hester has then changed her outer appearance to attempt to ease the attention that

Even though she often uses it to taunt Hester, Pearl is a constant reminder of Hester’s sin and is always making sure she has her scarlet letter.

For example, the first thing she instinctively clutches to is the A fastened on Hester’s chest: “But that first object of which Pearl seemed to become aware was the scarlet letter on Hester's bosom” (Hawthorne). Here, Pearl’s aberration illustrates her deviation from normality. While Hester believes Pearl’s outlandish nature is God’s punishment for her sin, Hester also recognizes that Pearl is a gift from God, representing possible redemption. Pearl’s shift from endearing to demon-like behavior reinforces the idea that Pearl is Hester’s savior, yet also her tormentor. Pearl’s attachment to the A was further exemplified when she “imitated, as best she could, on her own bosom the decoration with which she was so familiar on her mother's” (Hawthorne). Despite society’s belief that Hester can only redeem herself through public shame, wearing the A, Pearl believes that the only escape from sin is in nature, as shown through her creation of a green A. Additionally, Pearl intentionally made the A to provoke her mother, wondering “if mother will ask me what it means,” characterizing Pearl as Hester’s tormentor (Hawthorne). Furthermore, while Pearl is physically attached to the A, she is also mentally, as shown through her constant questioning of Hester. “what does this scarlet letter mean?—and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom?—and why does the minister keep his hand over his heart?” (Hawthorne). Pearl is

Hester continues to face conflict, this time with herself. When Hester faces the reality of the unpleasant situation she is faced with, her self conflict begins. Hester’s feelings are expressed when it is stated, “She clutched the child so fiercely to her breast that it sent forth a cry; she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself the infant and the shame were real” (52). Conflict within Hester’s life continues in mothering her curious child. Pearl’s curiosity is revealed when she asks, ‘ “. . . Mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? –and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom?” ’ (161). Hester feels the responsibility of protecting Pearl from knowing her mother’s sinful actions. The constant questioning puts Hester in a contradictory position. Mothering Pearl causes conflict a second time when Pearl is considered an outcast from other

However, there are two characters in this story that also function as symbols. Pearl and the Scarlet letter itself seem to mirror each other through the entire novel. It makes sense when you consider that neither could exist without the other as Hester herself describes in chapter eight Pearl's clothes contribute to her symbolic purpose in the novel by drawing parallels between her and the scarlet