The Internal and External Oppositions and Reflections of Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses reflection and opposition in forming the internal and external identities of individuals, specifically Pearl by using her comparison to nature and society. The natural fixtures of the forest, specifically the brook, reflect the internal disposition of Pearl anent nature. While Hester, Pearls mother, and Dimmesdale are in the forest, Hester looks over to see her daughter reflected in the brook, “Just where she had paused, the brook chanced to form a pool so smooth and quiet that it reflected a perfect image of her little figure, with all the brilliant picturesqueness of her …show more content…
beauty, in its adornment of flowers and wreathed foliage, but more refined and spiritualized than the reality. This image, so nearly identical with the living Pearl, seemed to communicate somewhat of its own shadowy and intangible quality to the child herself” (Hawthorne 133). The reflection shown is not situated on Pearl’s appearance, but rather on her underlying appearance. To Hester, the brook serves as a natural mirror and exhibits Pearl’s natural and innate qualities. Moreover, this natural mirror reveals components of Pearl that annex her essence. Such as when Pearl is construed as “shadowy and intangible,” the brook exudes the premise that Pearl, like nature, obtains this deep uncertainty that has never before been seen. Throughout the novel Pearl is portrayed as being extrinsically coherent when expressing conflict, however the reflection on account of the mirror is the primary instance of the novel in which the reader gains knowledge of Pearl’s intrinsic properties. Pearl’s elusive intrinsic attributes indicate obscurity, which parallels in nature, as the brook itself consists of an “unintelligible secret of some very mournful mystery”(Hawthorne 121). Thus Pearl’s internalized psyche is presented in the brook, both as a reflection and as a lucid correspondence. Accordingly, Pearl’s evading quality is her ability to divulge herself in nature, as she has done with the brook. The reflection of nature provides ingress between the idiosyncrasy of Pearl, and the natural devices that manifest her being. Hawthorne chronicles Pearls opposition externally through conflict with puritan society. During Hawthorne’s introduction of Pearl, the conjunction between Pearl and the Puritan children that surround her is described, “the little Puritans, being of the most intolerant brood that ever lived, had got a vague idea of something outlandish, unearthly, or at variance with ordinary fashions, in the mother and child, and therefore scorned them in their hearts, and not unfrequently reviled them with their tongues. Pearl felt the sentiment, and requited it with the bitterest hatred” (Hawthorne 64). The friction between the two parties is caused by the Puritan society’s views of transgressors, in this instance Hester. Hester’s accord with her sexuality, contradicts the paramount of the Puritans, ousting Hester, and thereby pearl. The separation between Pearl, a child of sin, and the Puritan children, a product of the shaped society, results in obstruction between the two. Thus Pearl is opposed externally in the children of society, as the children contradict Pearl’s extrinsic motives. As Pearl is correlated with nature, her lucid opposition would be by-product of the infringement of the natural world. However, because Pearl externally represents herself as natural and the effect of society is evident on its offspring, the aversion is external, as society is extraneous. This opposition recognizes the frame of Pearl’s character cardinally, by distinguishing her from society and presenting the antonym of the Puritans. Although oppositions and reflections express various aspects of Pearl, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, her father, internally opposes and externally reflects Pearl’s individuality. Hawthorne expresses Pearl’s external reaction to Dimmesdale kiss upon her by using Pearl’s internal notions to describe her externally, “running to the brook, stooped over it, and bathed her forehead, until the unwelcome kiss was quite washed off and diffused through a long lapse of the gliding water” (Hawthorne 136). Because Dimmesdale is representative of the Puritans, Pearl washes off the mark of society Dimmesdale positions upon her. Thereby Pearl opposes Dimmesdale likewise to her opposition to the Puritan children. However the external kiss has internal effects, as Pearl uses her internal identity of being eccentric and shapeless to oppose herself from Dimmesdale’s pointed innate qualities. However, when Dimmesdale claims that his features are clearly marked on Pearl’s face, making Pearl his reflection Hester observes that, “A little longer, and thou needest not to be afraid to trace whose child she is. But how strangely beautiful she looks with those wild flowers in her hair! It is as if one of the fairies, whom we left in dear old England, had decked her out to meet us” (Hawthorne 132). Dimmesdale’s face is imprinted onto Pearl’s causing an external reflection. Thus, because of Pearl is a by-product of Dimmesdale and Pearl is elusive through her natural elements; Dimmesdale reaps those natural dimensions from Pearl. Dimmesdale is only able to uncover these aspects because of his reflection in Pearl. Due to the reflection of Dimmesdale found in Pearl, the external qualities of pearl are able to bring forth the internal qualities of Dimmesdale and Pearl, resulting in the affirmation of identity. Hawthorne uses the reflections and oppositions of Pearl and Dimmesdale’s internal and external attributes together to blend into an affirmation of Pearl’s identity.
When Pearl bids farewell to her father before he dies on the scaffold, she kisses him in order to negate the kiss he gave her in the forest in front of society, “Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken. The great scene of grief, in which the wild infant bore a part had developed all her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her father’s cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow” (Hawthorne 162). Dimmesdale expresses his internal reflection onto Pearl, his internal opposition as a child of nature. While Pearl looks beyond her father as an external opposition and expresses her external reflection onto Dimmesdale a man of society, making the oppositions neutralize. Whereas their reflections shift to mirror the light onto the dimensions of their relationship, making the reflections merge into one image. Thus both their oppositions combined with their reflections break the bastilles of society and nature that isolated Pearl from her father, coalescing the attributes that differentiated them. Hawthorne uses reflections and oppositions of the physical and mental attributes of his character’s to light the dimensions hidden by the shadows of the Puritan
society.
Hawthorne seems to take a stance removing himself as a narrator from religious or moral partiality. As Hawthorne pursues the idea of a morally oblivious phycology, he creates Pearl. Perhaps Pearl is symbolic of truly raw human nature. Pearl is an unaltered version of mankind; factors of emotional and mortal influence are lost on her. Pearl is like the “control group” in the experiment of the human condition. This is demonstrated when Hawthorne speaks through the guise of Governor Bellingham, “There is no law, nor reverence for authority, no regard for human ordinances or opinions, right or wrong, mixed up with that child’s composition.” (92) Pearl attempts to connect with Hester as she “sob[s] out her love for her mother in broken words, and seem[ed] intent on proving that she had a heart by breaking it,” but she could not imitate human compassion because she had been shown so little herself. Because of the lasting trauma of Hester’s ordeal and her inexperience as a mother, Hester is inattentive and emotionally unavailable during Pearl’s childhood. Primarily because of her mother’s negligence, Pearl is “like a thing incapable and unintelligent of human sorrow” (64) but can still sense how other’s perceive her as strange. Taking into account her lack of remorse and incapability to express genuine sympathy, one might contend
Pearl is reluctant to approach Dimmesdale, and she throws a fit when she sees her mother’s scarlet letter on the ground along with her hair down. Pearl has assumed the role of a living scarlet letter, so when she sees the letter on the ground she sees herself being disregarded by her own mother. Hawthorne’s purpose of this chapter is simple, he wants the reader to understand what is happening through Pearl’s perspective. For her or for any child, change is hard, and Hawthorne clearly demonstrates this idea throughout this
In his novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the storyline of Hester Prynne’s adultery as a means of criticizing the values of Puritan society. Hester and her daughter Pearl, whom she conceives out of wedlock, are ostracized from their community and forced to live in a house away from town. The reflections of Pearl in different mirrored surfaces represent the contrast between the way Puritans view her and who she actually is. In the fancy mirrored armor of the society’s elite class, Pearl is depicted harshly as a devilish and evil spawn, unable to live up to the expectations of such a pristine society. However, in the natural reflections of the earth’s surface, Pearl’s beauty and innocence is much more celebrated. The discrepancies between these positive depictions of Pearl as an angelic figure and the Puritans’ harsh judgment of her character suggest that Puritans inflated her oddities and strange habits in order to place her and Hester in a place of inferiority within the community. Hawthorne employs reflection and mirrors in his novel to convey the Puritans’ misconstrual of Pearl as an elfish, evil child and to critique the severity of early Puritan moral codes.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter tells the story of Hester Prynne, a sinner, living in a puritan society. As punishment, she is forced to wear a scarlet letter on her chest. Her daughter Pearl is the product of her sinful ways, and a constant reminder of her wrongdoing. Pearl’s embodiment of the Scarlet Letter causes her hostile relationships with the world and her mother. However, when Dimmesdale kisses her, he frees her from isolation and allows her to form human connections.
Pearl is questioning whether Arthur (her father) loves them or not. She wants to look up to him as father figure and have him in her life, living with them as a family.
Pearl, just as those found in nature, is very rare and unique. Her radiance in the “gorgeous robes…” (92) depicts an illuminating child standing out amongst all of the grey puritan children. Although Pearl was made out of a horrifying situation, she is a beautiful, extraordinary girl. As real pearls form from dirt and become beautiful and rare, Pearl is a living example. Hawthorne stresses Pearl as an “outcast of the infantile world” (95) because she is a precious gem that glows against the dark
Pearl is not only a symbol of Hester but also a symbol to Dimmsdale. Pearl will not let him into her life until he accepts his sin. She wants him as a father but will not let him until he will not hide his sin in public. Pearl knows that Dimmsdale will not be seen holding her hand in the public eye and this bothers her. She asks her mother, " wilt tho promise to hold my and thy mothers hand to-morrow?"(105)
This, as Arthur Dimmesdale almost prophetically expresses in the early scenes of Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, was the role of Pearl, the elfish child borne of his and Hester Prynne's guilty passion. Like Paul's thorn in the flesh, Pearl would bring trouble, heartache, and frustration to Hester, but serve a constructive purpose lying far beyond the daily provocations of her childish impishness. While in many respects a tormentor to Hester, Pearl was also her savior, while a reminder of her guilt, a promoter of honesty and true Virtue; and while an embodiment of Hester's worst qualities, a vision of a better life for Hester and for herself.
The Scarlet letter is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The plot focuses on sin in the Puritan society. Hester Prynne, the protagonist, has an affair with Reverend Dimmesdale, which means they are adulterers and sinners. As a result, Pearl is born and Hester is forced to where the scarlet letter. Pearl is a unique character. She is Hester’s human form of her scarlet letter, which constantly reminds her of her sin, yet at the same time, Pearl is a blessing to have since she represents the passion that Hester once had.
Hawthorne uses Pearl to work on the consciences of both her mother Hester and her father Arthur Dimmesdale. He uses her to work on Hester’s conscience throughout the novel by little comments made or actions taken by Pearl that appear to be mean or spiteful towards her mother. For example, Pearl laughs and points at her mother’s scarlet letter as if making fun of it or to make Hester feel bad about it. Hawthorne also uses Pearl’s perceptiveness to point out very straight forwardly, her mother’s sin of adultery. Pearl has almost a supernatural sense, that comes from her youth and freewill for seeing things as they really are and pointing them out to her mother. Pearl is a living version of her mother's scarlet letter. She is the consequence of sin and an everyday reminder to her through her actions and being.
In Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is the main character who commits the sin of adultery and bears a child. Most readers pay attention to Hester because of her sinful act and the hardships she endures. Her hardships are very important, but the fact about how her daughter, Pearl, has to go through them with her is also crucial to the story’s plot. Pearl is a very complex and important aspect to the story. Even though her mother committed a sinful act of adultery, Pearl still looks up to her mother with love and grace. Pearl recognizes characters and their significance in her and her mother’s life. There are some points in the story where Pearl is considered a child of the Devil simply because she is the result of a sin. Pearl continuously finds ways to defy the image of being an evil child. Throughout the story, Pearl illustrates an “elf-like” intelligence and a maturity that children do not normally have. Pearl gives her mother the hope she needs to carry on in her life with her head held high and the ability to wear the scarlet letter, “A”, with confidence.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, symbolsim is constantly present in the actual scarlet letter “A” as it is viewed as a symbol of sin and the gradally changes its meanign, guilt is also a mejore symbol, and Pearl’s role in this novel is symbolic as well. The Scarlet Letter includes many profound and crucial symbols. these devices of symbolism are best portayed in the novel, most noticably through the letter “A” best exemplifies the changes in the symbolic meaning throughout the novel.
The naivete of a child is often the most easily subjected to influence, and Pearl of the Scarlet Letter is no exception. Throughout the writing by Nathaniel Hawthorne, she observes as Dimmesdale and the rest of the Puritan society interact with the scarlet letter that Hester, her mother, wears. Hawthorne tries to use Pearl’s youth to teach the reader that sometimes it’s the most harmless characters that are the most impactful overall. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Pearl has learned the greatest lesson from the scarlet letter through her innocence as a youth and her realization of the identity of both herself and her mother.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, many of the characters suffer from the tolls of sin, but none as horribly as Hester's daughter Pearl. She alone suffers from sin that is not hers, but rather that of her mother's. From the day she is conceived, Pearl is portrayed as an offspring of vice. She is introduced into the discerning, pitiless domain of the Puritan religion from inside a jail; a place untouched by light, as is the depth of her mother's sin. The austere Puritan ways punish Hester through banishment from the community and the church, simultaneously punishing Pearl in the process. This isolation leads to an unspoken detachment and animosity between her and the other Puritan children. Thus we see how Pearl is conceived through sin, and how she suffers when her mother and the community situate this deed upon her like the scarlet letter on her mother's bosom.
She understood the scarlet letter more and accepted Dimmesdale as her father because in the end Dimmesdale was the one who “saved” Pearl and turned her human. Pearl, who now has sympathies and feelings, had finally broken free of the symbolism she had on the scarlet letter. It was in nature, the forest, that she was able to find the answers she needed to know to be able to grow and keep discovering things. Therefore, this shows how much of a bond nature and Pearl created with each other due to the scarlet