How Is The Pearl Special In The Scarlet Letter

1094 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Hypocrisy of dimmesdale in the scarlet letter

There is a one in twelve-thousand chance of finding a pearl in an oyster meaning that pearls are a very rare object, right? But what makes a pearl special? Well a pearl is formed when a foreign object enters a clam, mussel, or oyster and the shell responds by forming layers around the particle eventually creating a pearl. So if a real life pearl is made of rare layers, then what layers is Pearl Prynne made of? In The Scarlet Letter, Hester’s child Pearl represents the sin of the letter, resilience, and the transformation to womanhood.
In the beginning of the novel, Pearl is the real life representation of Hester’s scarlet letter.
From the beginning, the people in the village knew that Pearl was a physical embodiment of the scarlet letter Hester …show more content…

Throughout the novel, Pearl is seen as a character built only around symbolism and has no major thoughts of her own in the plot, but when Dimmesdale publicly exposes his sin of adultery on the scaffold, Pearl finally recognizes him as her father by kissing him. When she does this, the haunting figure of sin finally escapes her making her released from the story of The Scarlet Letter. On the scaffold when “Pearl kissed his lips a spell was broken” and that “spell” was the shame and comparison of the scarlet letter to Pearl (Hawthorne 382). When Pearl kisses Dimmesdale “she becomes real, nevertheless... she ceases to be a character in the story” (Baym 58). Pearl’s purpose in the story was to be a symbol and nothing more but when she finally becomes human through her kissing Dimmesdale, she becomes unimportant and not needed to the novel. This is why after the kiss happens, Pearl is not mentioned at large again. Even though Pearl loses her purpose of symbolism after the kiss, she gains the purpose of becoming her own self instead of just an empty shell of the letter A. How does a simple kiss change Pearl that much? Well as “her tears fell upon her father's cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow” and that she would not fight with the normal thoughts of the world, “but be a woman in it” (Hawthorne 382). The kiss to Pearl, meant freedom from the constant shadow of her mother’s sin. It means she can finally become “fully human for the first time” and have the ability to live under her own roof and be her own person (Baym

Show More
Related

  • How Does The Pearl Change In The Scarlet Letter

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    For the past month our class has been reading the scarlet letter. There has been some interesting topics that sometimes people skip as they're reading. When someone reads the scarlet letter they tend to think that the book is about Hester prynne who had affairs and died being buried to the person whom she had an affair with. But there's more to that. The story starts out with Hester prynne an adulterous women who ends up in jail with her baby named pearl. Later in the book you will found out that pearl was being called the “devils child” because of the sin that her mother had committed. Pearl changes throughout the book because she never really finds out who her father is. Reveren dimsdale is the

    Read More

  • What Is The Juxtaposition In The Scarlet Letter Chapter 14

    1360 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Scarlet Letter - Pearl as a symbol

    645 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pearl is a symbol of Hester’s transgressions and even has similar qualities as the sin which she represents. Pearl’s life and behavior directly reflects the unacceptable and abnormal nature of Hester’s adulterous sin. Hester is plagued with more than just a letter “A”; she is given a child from her affair who is just as much a reminder of her sin as the scarlet letter. Ultimately Hester overcomes the shame associated the scarlet letter and creates a sense of family for herself and Pearl. This relationship is integral to the theme of this novel and the development of its characters.

    Read More

  • Pearl in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    756 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the first of Pearl’s role in the story, it appears as though someone so grounded in her beliefs, spiritual and mental, would never be dynamic in character. However, that is not the case. This character analysis will explain the life of Pearl, and what she meant to other roles of The Scarlet Letter.

    Read More

  • How Is Pearl Reflected In The Scarlet Letter

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Pearl's Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    849 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pearl is first introduced as the young babe clutched to Hester's chest, as she stands before a crowd of puritans beholding her humiliation. Embarrassed of the glaring letter on her chest, Hester thinks to hold little Pearl in front of her scarlet mark; however, she resolves that “one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another” (P.37). It is here that we see for the first time that Pearl has been reduced to nothing more than a symbol of Hester's sin, synonymous with the scarlet letter. As Pearl grows, so does the obvious nature with which Hawthorne portrays her as the scarlet letter. Throughout the book, we see Pearl dressed in bright clothes,

    Read More

  • Sugar Character Analysis

    985 Words  | 2 Pages

    The implications of Pearl’s name are clear from the beginning. The image of a literal pearl invokes thoughts of purity, virginity, and innocence. The character

    Read More

  • The Blameless Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    1121 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the moment she is born in the cold, heartless prison, Pearl is placed under scrutiny. The townspeople see her as a visible reminder of sin, and it isn't long until even her own mother searches for evil in her. The girl is described as "the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!"(Hawthorne 103). With her fascination from an early age with the scarlet letter, Hester believes that Pearl's very reason for existence is to torment her mother. Hester fails to realize that the letter is just something bright and significant to which Pearl reacts; instead, she sees every glance, every word aimed at the letter, every touch of Pearl's tiny fingers to her bosom as an added torture resulting from her adultery. Hester, considering Pearl's very existence, goes so far as to question if the impish child is even her own. "Thou art not my child! Thou art no Pearl of mine!"(Hawthorne 99) she tells Pearl, only half-jokingly. In her own way, she wonders whether Pearl was sent to her by God or by a demon wishing to cause her pain. She is not alone in this speculation; many of the town's citizens believe there is something of the Devil in Pearl.

    Read More

  • Children in the Scarlet Letter

    649 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pearl and the other Puritan children have a huge role in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Pearl is displayed as very different from any of the other children in the book. The attitudes of the children tell the reader a lot about the lives of the Puritans. The story emphasizes that children were to be seen but not heard however, Hester chooses to let Pearl live a full and exciting life. Hester does not restrict pearl or hide her from anyone or anything. This is part of the reason that Pearl becomes such a colorful child. People see Pearl as a child of sin; the devil’s child. Pearl is quite the opposite. She is a happy and intelligent little girl. Pearl is born with an incredible sense of intuition. She sees the pain her mother feels but does not understand where the pain is coming from. Pearl knows somehow deep in her heart that Dimmesdale is her father. She takes a very strong liking to him. This makes it much harder on dimmesdale to work through the guilt seeing what a beautiful thing came from his terrible secret. Pearl serves as a blessing to and a curse to Hester. Hester Prynne loves her daughter dearly but she is a constant reminder of the mistakes she has made.

    Read More

  • Pearl as a Symbol in The Scarlet Letter

    372 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Pearl, is a symbol of sin and adultery in the sense that she leads Dimmsdale and Hester to their confession and the acceptance of their sins. A beauitful daughter of the towns adulturist has somtimes demon like traits. She is also the only living symblol of the scarlet letter "A". In another way Pearl also makes a connection between Dimmsdale and Hester.

    Read More

  • Liberation from Sin through Pearl in The Scarlet Letter

    1580 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Scarlet Letter, Pearl

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pearl is Hester’s human form of her scarlet letter; both she and the scarlet letter constantly remind Hester of her sin of adultery. Pearl is the result of Hester’s adultery; therefore she has a strong connection with the scarlet letter. As a young girl, Pearl had always had a fascination and obsession with her mother’s scarlet letter. For example “In the forest scene when Hester takes off the Scarlet letter, Pearl becomes frantically disturbed and won’t quiet down until Hester has it back on her dress, as if by discarding the letter Hester has discarded Pearl,” (Johnson: A Literary Analysis of The Scarlet Letter, pg.1). The scarlet letter is a part of Hester, as is Pearl, if Hester removes the letter, she also disowns Pearl. The only way Pearl recognize her mother is when she has the letter on. Hester dresses Pearl in red so she can represent her scarlet letter. In the chapter, “The Governor’s Hall,” Pearl was described; “The child’s whole appearance reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!” (The Scarlet Letter, pg. 103 Johnson: Understanding The Scarlet Letter pg.1).

    Read More

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne's Use of Pearl in The Scarlet Letter

    440 Words  | 1 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Pearl in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    1820 Words  | 4 Pages

    One of the most complex characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Throughout the story, she develops into a dynamic individual, as well as an extremely important symbol. Pearl is shunned from society because of her mother's sin. She is a living representation of the scarlet letter, acting as a constant reminder of Hester's sin.

    Read More

  • Scarlet Letter Loss Of Innocence Quotes

    1002 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about How Is The Pearl Special In The Scarlet Letter

Open Document