Pearl is The Scarlet Letter
Pearl is the living embodiment of the scarlet letter because she forces Hester and Dimmesdale to accept their sins. The Puritan society looks at Pearl as a child of the devil, and a black hearted girl because she is the result of sin. Hester and Dimmesdale are both in the same situation in Pearl's eyes. Pearl wants Hester to realize that she is not the worst person in the world before she removes the scarlet letter. Pearl wants Dimmesdale to accept his sin, and be part of their life publicly.
Pearl is all that Hester has in her life. She says that Pearl: "keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too! See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved, and so endowed with a millionfold the Power of retribution of my sin?" (Hawthorne 100). Hawthorne shows that Pearl represents the scarlet letter not only symbolically but literally as well. Hester says that Pearl is the living scarlet letter, and causes Hester more anguish than the scarlet letter itself. Pearl is only difficult when she sees her mother trying to flee her sins the wrong way. This is why Pearl makes her mother keep the scarlet letter.
Hester knows that she did a bad thing, but she does not feel that she is a good person, and will not feel that way until she accepts her sins. Hester wants to run away from the situation, leaving her sin behind her, and live content with Dimmesdale as a sinner with another sinner. Pearl will not let that happen because she knows that by leaving, Hester is escaping her sins and living life thinking that she is a bad person. Hester talks of leaving with Dimmesdale: "Let it suffice, that the clergyman resolved to flee, and not alone. ....(Dimmesdale) "But now-since I am irrevocably doomed-wherefore should I not snatch the solace allowed to the condemned culprit before his execution? Or, if this be the path to a better life, as Hester would persuade me, I surely give up no fairer prospect by pursuing it!" (Hawthorne 184). Hester desires to leave the world that she is a sinner in, and live a new life. Dimmesdale knows that he is going to die soon, so why not leave the place of his sin and go with Hester to a better life.
Hester's daughter, Pearl, functions primarily as a symbol. She is quite young during most of the events of this novel—when Dimmesdale dies she is only seven years old—and her real importance lies in her ability to provoke the adult characters in the book. She asks them pointed questions and draws their attention, and the reader's, to the denied or overlooked truths of the adult world. In general, children in The Scarlet Letter are portrayed as more perceptive and more honest than adults, and Pearl is the most perceptive of them all.
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,
Pearl is the living proof of Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin. In the Novel Hawthorne states, “Pearl was an evil offspring” (98). This is stating that Pearl is the symbol of their adultery. At first Pearl is very demanding and is often called a witch-baby by others in the town because they believe she will grow up to be just like her mother. However, Hester believes differently, despite Pearl symbolizing their sin, Hester named her daughter Pearl because she is clean and valuable. Pearl is also very intelligent, in the novel, Pearl asks Hester “Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together into the town?”(). Pearl wants Dimmesdale to spend more time with them. Somehow Pearl manages to figure out that Dimmesdale is her father. In the article Stoner mentions, “While the love story of Dimmesdale and Hester may be tragic, their assurance that Pearl will live a happy life helps them to rest easy.” This quote is genuinely positive towards Pearl. It is as if Stroner agrees with Dimmesdale and Hester that Pearl will grow up to be an important valuable person.
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.
One of the most complex and elaborate characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic individual, as well as an extremely important symbol. Pearl is involved in a complex history, and as a result is viewed as different and is shunned because of her mother’s sin. Pearl is a living Scarlet A to Hester, as well as the reader, acting as a constant reminder of Hester’s sin. This connection leads to many different views of Pearl’s character.
She represents the sacrifice hester had to make. She is often attracted to the Scarlet letter often reaching for it as a baby and creating one as a child. Pearl is an outcast of society and is often left out when other kids play. She is referred to as the “demon child”, “elf”, and “imp”. Despite all of this Pearl is strong throughout the whole book. She posses qualities that, “...look so intelligent, yet inexplicable, perverse, sometimes so malicious, but generally accompanied by a wild flow of spirits, that Hester could not help questioning at such moments whether Pearl was a human child ” (PAGE#) often let Hester wondering if she was human. Pearl is a strong force that walks along the line of what is morally and ethically correct and what is not. She knows her father is at fault because he will not come forward with his family, in the light. She often tries to convince of his wrong doing, while Hester looks the other way.When he rejects her in the forest Pearl does not stand for it and immediately washes away his kiss; he has given her. Pearl is never satisfied until he comes forward. She remains strong on her beliefs of what is ethically correct and not. Pearl is often stronger than Pearl even though she is more
Initially Pearl is the symbol of Hesters public punishment for her adultery. As the novel progresses and Pearl matures she symbolizes the deteriation of Hester's like by constantly asking her about the scarlet letter "A". Pearl in a sense wants her mother to live up to her sin and, she achieves this by constantly asking her about the scarlet letter. Another peice of evidence that shows how Pearl symbolizes the sin Hester has committed, is when the town government wants to take Pearl away from her Revrend Dimmsdale convinces the government that Pearl is a living reminder of her sin. This is essentialy true, Hester without Pearl is like having Hester without sin.
From the very beginning of The Scarlet Letter, while Hester is shamed by having a baby as tangible evidence of her sin and shame, the responsibility of caring for Pearl and raising her with love and wisdom serves to calm the defiant, destructive passion of Hester's nature and to save her from its wild, desperate promptings. This sentiment is poignantly portrayed in Hester's visit to the Governor's mansion. While there, she pleads with the Governor, magistrates, and ministers that she be allowed to keep Pearl, exclaiming, 'She is my happiness!--She is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too! See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only...
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).
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.
As punishment for her adultery, she wears the scarlet “A” on her clothes in addition to standing on the scaffold. Her penalty was almost nothing compared to the death penalty she would received had Reverend Dimmesdale not been one of the leaders of the town. Hester chooses to stay in the town to raise her daughter Pearl and to do charity work so that she can suffer for the sake of her soul. She is reprimanded by other Puritans for not disciplining Pearl, and threats are made to take her daughter away from her. Hester says that she will raise Pearl well: “This badge hath taught me—it daily teaches me—lessons whereof my child may be the wiser and better, albeit they can profit nothing to myself,” (102-103). She is convinced that she is completely repentant for her sin and will make sure that Pearl also will not sin consequently enduring the same consequences as she did. Later in the novel, “At times, a fearful doubt strove to possess her soul, whether it were not better to send Pearl at once to heaven, and go herself to such futurity as Eternal Justice should provide. The scarlet letter had not done its office,” (154). Hester considers murdering Pearl, subsequently committing suicide. Hawthorne shows that Hester has not learned from her sin and does not regret it. As a result, she cannot direct Pearl away from sin
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a book of much symbolism. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Throughout the novel Pearl develops into a dynamic symbol; one that is always changing. In the following essay, I will explore Hawthorne's symbolism of Pearl from birth, age three, and age seven. Also, I will attempt to disprove the notion that Pearl is branded with a metaphorical scarlet letter "A" representing amorality; instead she represents the immorality of her mother's adultery.
Statistics Project I have been given instructions to collect data for my GCSE statistics coursework and then to represent them by interpreting them using graphs and attributes, which I think influence the prices of a second hand car. Below is my coursework flowchart that will show the steps I will take to complete my coursework. FLOWCHART = ==
The Electrolysis of Copper Sulphate Aim Analyse and evaluate the quantity of Copper (Cu) metal deposited during the electrolysis of Copper Sulphate solution (CuSo4) using Copper electrodes, when certain variables were changed. Results Voltage across Concentration of solution electrode 0.5M 1.0M 2.0M 2 5.0 10.6 19.5 4 10.5 19.8 40.3 6 14.3 26.0 60.2 8 15.2 40.4 80.3 10 15.0 40.2 99.6 12 15.1 40.0 117.0 Analysing/Conclusion The input variables in this experiment are; concentration of the solution and the voltage across the electrodes. The outcome is the amount of copper gained (measured in grams) at the electrodes. By analyzing the graph, we can see the rapid increase of weight gained for the 2.0 molar concentration as the gradient is steeper.
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.