The Role Of Pearl

In the 1700’s, puritan society focuses highly on sin. Pearl, from the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the 1800s is a superior example of sin in a person’s life. In “The Role of Pearl” by Anne Marie McNamara, the significance of Pearl’s character is thoroughly analyzed. Pearl is the daughter of the main character, Hester; who is an adultress. People tend to ignore the importance that Pearl represents in the novel. Pearl gives meaning to many ideas throughout the story, especially structure. Without Pearl, the story would not come together as well. The people of the village realize that Hester has sinned when she is seen pregnant. Therefore, McNamara stresses the embodiment of sin, the significance of Pearl protecting her mother, and

McNamara writes, “Pearl has been sent as a blessing and as a reflection to remind Hester of her fall from grace and to teach her the ways of heaven” (McNamara 86). Throughout the story, Pearl blindly encourages her mother do do what is right, and hester is always trying to make the right decisions, therefore, this results in her being a good mother. In chapter eight, Chillingsworth is trying take Pearl away from her mother because he believes she not doing a good duty to her, which I believe is not true. Hawthorne says, “This badge hath taught me, it daily teaches me, it is teaching me at this moment, lessons where of my child may be the wiser and better, albeit they can profit nothing to myself” (Hawthorne 107). In this quote Hester is telling them that she is in the middle of learning from her mistake and she will teach her child otherwise. Pearl will turn out wiser and better. Another example of Pearl keeping Hester on the right path is when Mistress Hibbins comes along and asks Hester to go into the woods with her to meet the Black Man. She tells Hibbins, “Must tarry at home, and keep watch over my little pearl. Had they taken her from me, I would willingly have gone with thee into the forest, signed my name in the black man's book too, and that with my own blood!” (Hawthorne 113). Therefore, if it wasn't for Pearl, Hester would have willingly gone into the woods to meet the black man. McNamara states that

In the story, Dimmesdale is extremely culpable of his sin and brutally punishes himself everyday. Hawthorne mentions, “In Mr. Dimmesdale's secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody scourge. Oftentimes, this Protestant and Puritan divine had piled it on his shoulder, laughing bitterly at himself the while, and smiling so much the more pitilessly because of that bitter laugh” (Hawthorne 141). Although he hides in his lies for so many years, when he comes out to the town, its seems as if Pearl has pushed him to do so. McNamara then also claims ”Since it is obvious that neither Hester nor Chillingworth contribute external cause for Dimmesdale's volt face, [about-face], it seems reasonable to consider the possibility that Pearl may be the agent who effects his unexpected public confession of paternity” (McNamara 79). Furthermore, it is obvious to say that Pearl is one of the main reasons Dimmesdale goes to the scaffold to confess his sin, which I agree. There is an instant connection between Pearl and Dimmesdale that propelled him to tell the truth. For instance, during the end of the novel when Pearl kisses Dimmesdale and “the spell is broken.” He feels warmth and love. Overall she pushes him to come clean by showing him that he completes their family and wants them all to be together. This again, is helping her mother as well. In the article “The Role of Pearl” by Anne McNamara, the importance