What Does Pearl Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

Children have always a sympathy in the agitations of those connected with them; always, especially, a sense of any trouble or impending revolution, of whatever kind, in domestic circumstances; and therefore Pearl, who was the gem on her mother's unquiet bosom, betrayed, by the very dance of her spirits, the emotions which none could detect in the marble passiveness of Hester's brow (

“Imagination is the key ingredient to overcoming fear and doubt.” Throughout “The Scarlet Letter”, Nathaniel Hawthorne tends to emphasize the intensity of Pearl’s imagination by describing the way Pearl saw the world around her and by talking about the way the people who noticed her vivid imagination, referred to her as a “witch-child”. In “The Scarlet Letter”, Pearl grows up secluded from the rest of the children in the New World. She learns to entertain herself and keep herself company by using her imagination. This is one big example of Pearl overcoming the hardships that she grew up with. As the book progresses, and as Pearl gets older, we see her overcome more hardships she is challenged with to create a strong, independent young girl. The poem provided written by Emily Dickinson comes to show how overcoming Pearl’s hardships led her to blossom from a strong, independent young girl, into an even stronger, successful woman.

Throughout the progression of the story, Hawthorne portrays Hester conforming into a saint-like image, contrary to the badge of shame she is bound by. As Pearl grows up, Hester teaches her as a mother should, but more importantly Pearl ultimately becomes her biggest blessing. The author elaborates on the irony of Pearl being another outward symbol of Hester’s sin, and the way Hester begins to not only cope with the degrading shame she is reminded of by both child and the letter, but additionally to allow the situation to change her heart into a state of nobility and ironically enough, purity. Although Hester is seen by the town as the dark temptress and the ultimate sinner, the underlying message of the story proves that she was simply the unfortunate one whose sin had outward consequences. Through Pearl, Hester is forced to return to her own faith as well as leading her daughter in such a direction in order for her to avoid making her mother’s

Not but the meteor may have shown itself at that point, burning duskily through a veil of cloud; but with no such shape as his guilty imagination gave it; or, at least, with so little definiteness, that another's guilt might have seen another symbol in it” (Hawthorne pg. 141). This symbol was manifested to support the advancement of the characters and the plot. Another that assisted moving along the plot was the child, Pearl. Pearl was a central symbol throughout the novel and plot line.

In chapter 16 of the scarlet letter, Pearl is starting to question and make connections to

“You are free to make whatever choice you want, but you are not free from the consequences of the choice” (Benson). In the Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne shows that Hester makes a lot of choices, but she is not free from the consequences of those choices. Pearl is a result of her choice to commit adultery, so Pearl represents many things. Sometimes dealing with Pearl is a continuous struggle for Hester, since in her eyes Pearl is a difficult child. Pearl in some ways represents Hester’s sin, and in others ways shows how the consequences of her choices help Hester to realize to make wiser and better choices.

Claim: In The Scarlet Letter, Pearl’s association with plants, especially flowers, represents the vitality and prolongation of acting out one’s own individual character.

Hester wishes to talk to Dimmesdale in the forest, a place where she feels like she can be honest. As she waits for Dimmesdale, Pearl asks to hear about the Black Man, which she is referring to the devil. Pearl says that not only he holds a book while haunting the book, he also marks a letter on his followers. Pearl’s fascination about the devil is drawn towards by the scarlet letter, she is constantly reminding Hester that the scarlet letter is a mark of sin, she is related to evil. Pearl claims that she heard the story from an old woman, who explained that this is why Hester has a scarlet letter, like Dimmesdale hiding his lies, Hester uses denies the story as true to hide her sin from Pearl. When Pearl sees Dimmesdale and his hand covering

Pearl: Pearl is the daughter of Hester and Dimmesdale. Pearl is a protagonist in the story, for she serves as a living reminder of Hester’s sin. She is a round and complex character, for she is intuitive, and she is also very dynamic. She is very observant, for when Hester asks why she wears the A, Pearl replies, “‘Truly do I… It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart!” (167). Pearl is also more of a symbol than a character, for she symbolizes many to different characters. To Hester, Pearl is a constant reminder of the sin she’s committed. To Dimmesdale, Pearl is his conscious, for when he tries to warm up to her, she denies him: “The minister… hoping that a kiss might prove a talisman to admit him into the child’s

Perhaps one of the simplest ways to reveal a message is through symbols. Symbols, although only mere representations of concepts, objects, or ideas, are capable of grasping people’s attention in a memorable way. Many, if not all, recognize the infamous “S” to represent Superman, one of the most admirable superheroes of all time. In a similar way, authors use symbols in their writing to center their readers’ attention on a particular idea. This idea is generally one that the authors deem crucial to the understanding of the work of literature. Such a use of symbols is seen in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. In order to unlock the meaning of this work, readers must interpret two of his most prominent symbols, the scarlet letter and Pearl.

In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne characterizes Pearl with contrasting personalities and roles she plays in Hester’s life. Pearl’s conflicting personality components, innocence and defiance, both derive from her isolation from society, which transpired because of her mother’s sin. Pearl represents the conflict between everything good and dark, which reflects in the role she plays in Hester’s life, as the physical embodiment of the A. While Pearl serves as a savior to Hester, representing possible redemption, she is also Hester’s tormentor, a constant reminder of her sin, and the consequences of disobeying her Puritan nature and religion. Hawthorne’s intent is established in the novel through Pearl’s attachment to the A, the mirror

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Scarlet Letter, his commentary on the raw, unreserved passion of a child is portrayed through his character Pearl. He shows a distinct view on Pearl and her role in the book and to her mother. He shows the great comparison in the actions and role of a child, exaggerated through Pearl. Her intense passion in the book also makes her a sort of conscience and punishment for her mother. This is because her passion makes her strongly against views when first introduced and when learned and accepted, are taken so literally and so strongly believed in.

Nathaniel Hawthorne is known for his heavy use of symbolism in his writings, The Scarlet Letter is no exception. In the novel, Pearl could be presumed to symbolize only the idea of sin that her mother committed, but upon further investigation, past the erratic behavior, we see that she holds a sense of light within herself and lashes out only when antagonized by those who look down on her. Society held a role in perceiving Pearl as a ‘Devil-Child’ and implicated her in the role of being such a symbol as opposed to viewing her in the light that they see other children in. Pearl being a symbol of purity contrasts each other character who hold ungodly intentions or secrets within them making her appear as odd but develops her to be seen more as

In a surface examination of the work of Nathaniel Hawthorne, it is quickly evident that no good things come from the wilderness. Therein, the wilderness is often associated with the savages and the devil. In his work The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne finds herself exiled by society for having an adulterous affair with the town reverend which brought forth the child known as Pearl. Pearl is quickly established as the child of the wilderness: wild, capricious, and thought by the town to be a demon-child. She represents several entities in the novel just by her being, but when her morality is delved into, much more of the nature of the story can be revealed. Pearl’s role is often overlooked as a formative force in the novel. Some scholars have gone as far as to denounce her as unnecessary to the story’s makeup. Upon close examination, it can be determined that Pearl is indeed a necessary element. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Pearl presents themes of morality, both personal and cultural, as well as the divide between society and nature, through her interactions with Hester, Reverend Dimmesdale, and the scarlet letter itself.

The novel “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne was published in the 1850s, and takes place in the Boston, Massachusetts area during the 17th Century when Puritans were the main population. Hester Prynne, is accused of committing adultery and is forced to wear a scarlet A against her chest and care for Pearl, Her daughter who is born from the tryst. In the beginning of the novel, both Pearl and the Letter are introduced at the same time aspressed against Hester’s chest. Though she chooses to hold the child close to her and the Letter is thrust upon her, Hawthorne shows the reader how determined she is to take these symbols of sin and integrate them into her life and create her own identity.