An Explanation Of Hester's Other Scarlett Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

TaQuan Chatman
Mr. Moore
English 11
24 October 2014

Hester’s Other Scarlett Letter (Pearl)
The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathanial Hawthorn, takes place in Boston in a strictly Puritan society where Puritanism is rigorously enforced. The novel begins in seventeenth century with Hester Prynne, a local woman, who has committed adultery in a small town with a local minister. This consequently leads to the confinement of Pearl, a baby born out of wedlock. Throughout all of the characters within the novel Pearl is the most complex and versatile .Throughout the novel Pearl helps her parents to overcome their sin. Pearl is like a living version of Hester Prynne scarlet letter “A” in the sense that she is the outcome of the adultery. Pearl
There is the setting of the Puritan society where everyone is morally strict. The society sees Pearl as Hester’s scarlet letter and she is treated like a devil’s child. "An imp of evil, emblem and product of sin"(84; 6). All over children do not befriend her and they are not welcoming but instead where they do talk to her and tease and she throws stones at them. She plays alone with sticks, rags and flowers, and people address her fun as witchcraft and not loneliness. Pearl lacks adaption to the world, so she is not prone to following rules, and she does what she wants. She does not fit in, and a mess that lives in a very clean Puritan society. “Come, dearest child!” “How slow thou art! When hast thou been so sluggish before now? Here is a friend of mine, who must be thy friend also. Thou wilt have twice as much love, henceforward, as thy mother alone could give thee! Leap across the brook and come to us. Thou canst leap like a young deer! “(171; 19) in the book pearl has to live a complicated lifestyle where she is considering a witch and she is rejected from
She is a reminder of love and passion. She makes Hester want to be a better person. She gives Hester that extra little boost when she feels down and out about life. She speaks up when she does not like something for example when Dimmesdale is embarrassed to be around Pearl and Pearl does not and will not accept that. In Chapter 13, Dimmesdale kisses Pearl, and she washes away his kiss and says it’s a punishment since he will not take responsibility for his sin. Pearl begins to mature and she sees her mother with Dimmesdale in the forest and becomes curious. Pearl picks up that Dimmesdale is her father “Doth he love us?" Pearl asks, looking into her mother's face. "Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into the town?" and Hester abruptly reply’s, When your father Dimmesdale takes responsibility for you. Pearl cries and Dimmesdale calls her his little pearl and pearl kisses him on his forehead breaks the spell. She ends up helping her parents to forgive themselves for the sins that they have committed .Pearl is a very complex character she is a reminder of love and passion she makes Hester want to be a better person and she begins it mature throughout the