What Does The Pearl Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

Pearl’s Many Symbols
Pearl is a very important character in the book, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Although the majority of the story focuses on Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, Pearl is the person who ties them all together. Pearl was born from Hester illegitimately. Even though Dimmesdale is her father, this is not revealed until the end of the story. Hawthorne uses Pearl as many symbols throughout the book. Pearl is the symbol of Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin. However, she is more than that. Pearl represents sin, hope, change, and truth.
Fundamentally, Pearl can represent the sin in which both Dimmesdale and Hester committed. Pearl was made because of the sin. This is the first symbol that Hawthorne uses for Pearl because

Hester’s pregnancy reveal Hester’s past iniquity. Pearl constantly reminds Hester of the guilt and sin that she has. When there is talk about taking away Pearl, Hester cries out, “She is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me, too” (Hawthorne 124)! Hester is talking about what Pearl does to her. Pearl does not understand what the scarlet letter is and so she is fascinated with it. Flowers are thrown at the scarlet letter by Pearl. She does not realize that Hester does not want to be reminded of her wrongdoing. In doing this, Pearl tortures Hester by continuing to remind Hester what she did and what all she had lost. This drives Hester crazy so that she can only think about her sin. She even dresses Pearl like the scarlet letter itself. Dimmesdale says, “‘Hath she not expressed this thought in the garb of the poor child, so forcibly reminding us of that red symbol which sears her bosom’” (Hawthorne 126) Pearl has become the living scarlet letter. She has become the symbol of the iniquity. When people think of Pearl, they think of the sin in which Hester partook. This causes Pearl to be a symbol of sin.
Pearl is also a symbol of hope, especially for Hester.

The narrator states, “But she named the infant ‘Pearl,’ as being of great price - purchased with all she had - her mother’s only treasure” (Hawthorne 98). Pearl was all that Hester had. After her indiscretion was shown to the world by having Pearl, everything else was taken away from Hester. Hester had nothing for which to live, except for Pearl. Hester even had the chance to deliver herself to death in the Black Forest, but she declined because of Pearl. She says, “‘I 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, and signed my name in the Black Man’s book too, and that with mine own blood’” (Hawthorne 129). This shows the love she has for Pearl. Hester loved Pearl so much, she would continue to live just for her. This gives Hester hope and provides her with a future. However if Hester did not have Pearl, she would have probably killed herself. For the narrator states, “Even thus early had the child saved her from Satan’s snare” (Hawthorne 129). Pearl provides Hester with life and gives Hester a hope for the

future.
Pearl also helps to change her mother throughout the book.

Pearl is now a symbol of change. Hester’s life undoubtedly changed when she had Pearl. She was shamed, shunned, and embarrassed to walk around. Hester even would consider dying, except for the fact that she has to take care of Pearl. The Governor Bellingham was thinking about taking Pearl away from Hester and giving her to another family. However, Hester would not give up Pearl. Hester promised the governor she would sin no more if she would be allowed to raise Pearl. Governor Bellingham said, “As there shall be no further scandal in the woman” (Hawthorne 127). Pearl indirectly is making Hester stop sinning. However, Pearl is doing much more than this. The narrator describes Hester in the community by, “Every gesture, every word, and even the silence of those with whom she came in contact, implied, and often expressed, that she was banished” (Hawthorne 93). Hester minded her own business and even stayed in a little house in the outskirts of the village. Throughout the book, Hester started to take care of the sick, dying, and poor. People saw the change in Hester and said that the scarlet letter now represents ‘Able.’ If Pearl was not there for Hester, Hester would probably have died in the Black Forest. Hester changed even after Pearl grew up and left her mother. When Hester returned to the village, she started to counsel young women. The townspeople even changed because of Pearl. The people in the village saw Hester

taking on more responsibility and instead of stunning her they accepted her. Pearl also supplied the need for Dimmesdale’s change.
Pearl’s main symbol is truth and justice. She always had a mission during her childhood years. Pearl wanted to know who her father really is. Peal was always a smart and wise child. Many people in the village thought she was the child of the devil. Ever since Pearl was young, she noticed that Dimmesdale’s hand was always over his heart. She also was obsessed with the scarlet letter. She even tells Hester that the reason Dimmesdale puts his hand over his heart is the same reason that Hester wears the scarlet letter. Pearl then learns to ignore Dimmesdale until he acknowledges her in public, thus revealing his sins. Pearl wants Dimmesdale to change. Since Pearl has been ignoring Dimmesdale, it drives him crazy. He feels terrible for keeping his sin secret. When Hester went to talk to Dimmesdale and arranged plans for them to flee, Hester reveals to Pearl who her father is. When Dimmesdale then kisses Pearl, she immediately goes to the brook and washes it off and makes a show out of it. According to Ann Marie Mcnamara, “Although Pearl’s outburst at the brookside is directed towards her mother, it affects Dimmesdale traumatically. This hypersensitive man experiences almost simultaneously the extremes of exaltation and depression-Hester’s plan for the resumption of their love affair and Pearl’s adamant rejection of his affection. His unacknowledged daughter tells him in her wordless language that his acquiescence to Hester’s will to escape is a false answer to his problems and is distasteful to her. She will not enter into arrangements which involve a continuance of his concealment of sin. No wonder that the minister who leaves the elf at the brookside is a minister in a maze” (542). Pearl only really acknowledges and loves Dimmesdale as her father when he confesses to his sin. First Dimmesdale calls her to his side as he walks on the scaffold. Pearl, knowing what is going to happen, immediately jumps to his side. The narrator explains this scene as, “‘Hester,’ said he [Dimmesdale], ‘come hither! Come my little Pearl!’ It was a ghastly look with which he regarded them; but there was something at once tender and strangely triumphant in it. The child, with the bird-like motion, which was one of her characteristics, flew to him, and clasped her arms about his knees” (Hawthorne 277). As Dimmesdale is dying, he asks Pearl to kiss him. He wants to make sure that Pearl accepts and forgives him. The narrator describes the scene as,“Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken” (Hawthorne 282). Pearl forgave him and loved him. Pearl was the reason for Dimmesdale’s change. This was Pearl’s mission from the very beginning, to change Dimmesdale and to reveal who her father was. According to Mcnamara, “to show that Pearl, the elf-child, as a figure of grace and through appropriately subtle means, is the cause of Dimmesdale’s volte face” (553). Pearl was a symbol of truth and justice because she caused her father to reveal himself.
In conclusion, Pearl is a vital part of the storyline in the book The Scarlet Letter. Pearl was many symbols throughout the book. First, Pearl was a symbol of the sin in which Hester and Dimmesdale partook. Second, Pearl was a symbol for hope in Hester’s life. She also was a symbol for change and provided change for many people. Lastly, Pearl is a symbol for truth and justice. Pearl all along wanted to know who her father was. Her mission was to reveal Dimmesdale’s secret sins. When she completed her mission, the truth was revealed. How different the story would be if Pearl was never born.