Pearl is the daughter Hester gives birth to. Ever since birth she has recognized her mother for the scarlet letter she bears on her bosom. Everyone says she is the Scarlet Letter itself and was sent by the devil. Pearl is very energetic and sometimes malicious.…
This passage explains how Pearl represents the innocence in one’s passion or love for another. Her stark contrast from other children catches the attention of both her parents, Hester and Dimmesdale. Pearl serves as a result of their lust for each other. Hawthorne further explains this concept by comparing Pearl to a “messenger of anguish.” Hawthorne uses this metaphor show that once Dimmesdale dies, the lustful connection between Hester and the pastor breaks apart. Pearl loses her wild character and ceases to be defiant of the world, displaying her new capability of feeling sorrow.…
The Scarlet Letter, a beautifully embroidered “A” that represented sin and now ability, was constantly the focus of Pearl’s eyes. While Hester has an encounter with Roger Chillingworth, she tells Pearl to go play while she speaks with him. Pearl gets distracted by all of the elements of nature as she entertains herself. “Pearl took some eelgrass, and imitated, as best she could, on her own bosom, the decoration with which she was so familiar on her mother’s. A letter--the letter A--but freshly green, instead of scarlet!” Since she does this, she will not stop pestering Hester about what the “A” actually means. Ironically, She later makes the connection of Hesters “A”, and Reverend Dimmesdale always holding his chest.…
She is the result of Dimmesdale and Hester's love for each other. Because of Hester's crime, Pearl is also discriminated because of her mother. "Behold, verily, there is the woman of the scarlet letter; and of a truth, moreover, there is the likeness of the scarlet letter running along her side! Come, therefore, and let us fling mud at them!"(Hawthorne 112). This quote explains how the Puritan children felt about Hester and Pearl. They wanted to fling mud at them because these children were probably told to hate them, and also of the crime Hester committed. Pearl is also considered a wild child, and very untamed and very unlike Puritan children."The child shall be well cared for!far better than tho canst do for it."(Hawthorne 124). And "The discipline of the family in those days, was of a far more rigid kind than now....Hester Prynne, nevertheless, the loving mother of this one child, ran little risk of erring on the side of undue severity. Mindful, however, of her own errors and misfortunes, she early sought to impose a tender, but strict control over the infant immortality that was committed to her charge. But the task was beyond her skill. After testing both smiles and frowns, and proving that neither mode of treatment possessed any calculable influence, Hester was ultimately compelled to stand aside and permit the child to be swayed by her own impulses." (Hawthorne 100). This quote explains how unlike Puritan child Pearl is, and how's she's offended. Pearl is considered wild and has no rules to follow, because Hester hasn't disciplined her. Because of this, the Townspeople want to give Pearl away to someone who's a better parent. Hester's sin has affected Pearl because she isn't treated with respect and she's considered the result of Hester's sin. Pearl is also considered a wild child that must be…
Hester was convicted of being an adulterer, and the novels follows her story in a 17th century Puritan town. The tale focuses on Hester, her daughter Pearl, her lover Dimmesdale, and her husband Chillingworth. They are all enduring their own battles with sin, some coming out of it better than others. Pearl is a physical version of Hester and Dimmesdale’s consciences. Pearl serves as a living version of the scarlet A on Hester’s chest. She torments Hester, and pushes Dimmesdale to acknowledge his sins. Pearl serves as a major character in this classic tragedy, and leaves the character better off than they…
First of all, in many instances the reader sees how Pearl wishes for Arthur Dimmesdale to stand by her and embrace her. In chapter 12, the reader becomes accustomed to Pearl’s insistence in seeking a desired response. In this chapter, Pearl continually asks Dimmesdale whether he will stand with Hester and herself, despite his denials. Secondly, Hawthorne stresses Pearl’s rebellious nature in a couple of occurrences, one of which happens when Hester takes Pearl with her to the Governor’s house. In chapter 8, when Governor Bellingham questions Pearl as to whom created her, implying that it was God, Pearl smugly responds that she “had not been made at all, but had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses, that grew by the prison door.” (Pg. 76) Knowing full well that her answer will result in a maddened reaction from the Governor, Pearl proudly claims that her mother specifically chose her. This comment illustrates Pearl’s rebellious nature and disregard for what others think of her. Lastly, Pearl repeatedly demonstrates her inquisitive manner when interacting with main characters such as her mother. In several cases, Pearl continually pesters Hester, inquiring about the scarlet letter on her chest until Hester dismisses the question or remarks such as, “Go now, child, and thou shalt tease me as thou wilt another time.”(Pg.128). Furthermore, when Pearl posed a question to Hester, Pearl…
The way that Nathaniel Hawthorne introduced Pearl as a character in The Scarlet Letter lead to a better understanding of Hester and Dimmesdale throughout the story. Pearl serves as a living example of Hester and Dimmesdale’s actions to Hester herself, Dimmesdale, the townspeople, and the reader. Pearl’s confident outer appearance also creates a questioning mood throughout the story that allows the reader to…
Hawthorne uses Pearl as a big source of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter. Pearl represents the unseen tumult that is inside of Hester, that even Hester herself cannot see. She symbolizes the secrecy of Hester and Dimmesdale’s love outside of the strict rules of the Puritan society. She represents how forbidden it was to love outside of a marriage or family. Pearl was a last hope for Dimmesdale to pass away peacefully and without regrets. She was her own hope for a better life and to fit in…
Pearl’s isolation and her reliance upon her mother has led to her not being able to form relationships between other people. In the story, Pearl is conceived by the unfortunate crime of adultery. She is isolated from everyone but her mother, Hester. Hester is the only person Pearl interacts with in a loving way throughout the story. Pearl is very protective of Hester; when the children were making fun of Hester Pear, “. . . snatching up stones and fling at them, (Hawthorne 64).” This shows how she stands up for her mother and only her mother. Because of Hester committing adultery, Pearl is seen as a product of sin and not a single towns person will like Pearl because of their compliance to their faith. Pearl is described by the townspeople…
Pearl becomes more than just a consquence of wrong doings but rather a blessing in disguense. This is enforced when Hawthorne says ” Pearl is more than a mere punishment to her mother: she is also a blessing. ( ) Throughout the novel, Hester uses Pearl as motivation to continue on with life and move past the ridicul she endures everyday from the entire town. Hawthornes demonstrates that Hester believes Pearl is not just the living emodiement of the scarlet letter but rather "capable of being "She is my happiness!....She is my torture!- "Pearl keeps me here in life" Hester relizes that God has granted her happiness through Pearl and the opprotunity to rid herself of the past to focus on loving and caring for her daughter in the present. Not only is Pearl a living unsumbalnce for Hester's actions but she is also Dimmesdale's "pearl of great price" ( ) when he finally owns up to his actions and gives up his live in an attempt to recieve forgivness from…
One of the most complex and elaborate characters in 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 shunned because of her mother's sin. Pearl is a living representation of the scarlet letter - acting as a constant reminder of Hester's sin.…
Strangely, Hester sees her own daughter as an irregular character and surprisingly calls her an imp. On the contrary, this could be seen as not strange at all and instead taken as Hester not wanting to accept her daughter. This thought greatly affects Pearls character because it gives her a reason to rebel against her mother. But, no one really knows or understands Pearl, many just assume or think who they want to think she is. Certain townspeople get a glance on Pearls unknown side when she, “resembled, in her fierce pursuit of them, an infant pestilence, --the scarlet fever, or some such half-fledged angel of judgment,--whose mission was to punish the sins of the rising generation” (83). When Pearl unveils the protective side of her personality, everyone might assume that she is wild or an unobedient child when in reality Pearl knows she should not be treated like a minority and sticks up for herself. This shows how Pearl is a unusual child for her time because many obedient children would not imagine to act like this. Due to a lack of socialism, Pearl is transformed into her true potential which is unusual because more townspeople would expect Pearl to become unsuccessful and dimwitted. This fact alone emphasizes how Pearl chooses to be different and how she uses her intelligence for her own advantage. She is cunning and able to inspect complex observations. This helps her later in life as a…
Pearls have always held a great price to mankind, but no pearl had ever been earned at as high a cost to a person as Nathaniel Hawthorne’s powerful heroine Hester Prynne. Her daughter Pearl, born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one, is an enigmatic character serving entirely as a vehicle for symbolism. From her introduction as an infant on her mother’s scaffold of shame to the stormy zenith of the story, Pearl is an empathetic and improbably intelligent child. Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see, and asks questions nothing but a child’s innocence permit her to ask, allowing Hawthorne to weave rich detail into The Scarlet Letter without making the story overly narrative. Pearl is the purest embodiment of literary symbolism. She is at times a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the irrational and translucent qualities of Hester and Dimmesdale’s illicit bond at times, and at others a forceful reminder of her mother’s sin. Pearl Prynne is her mother’s most precious possession and her only reason to live, but also a priceless treasure purchased with her life. Pearl’s strange beauty and deeply enigmatic qualities make her the most powerful symbol some feel Hawthorne ever created.…
As the community minister, people see him as a messenger of God, so they idolize him. Truthfully, Dimmesdale commits adultery, which disproves the people’s view of him. Unlike Hester, Dimmesdale fails to realize that individuality and fortitude are achieved by inner strength and by accepting oneself. This severe internal struggle hinders him from achieving his individuality. Because he is now tied to Hester because of their daughter, Pearl, he feels guilt, which drives him to self-punishment. Over time, this deteriorates his physical and spiritual state of being. Through his sermons, Dimmesdale attempts to convey his wrongdoings, but nobody ever realizes this. “He longed to speak out, from his own pulpit, at the full height of his voice, and tell the people what he was” (Hawthorne 134). He believes that if he communicates with people and tells them his sins, he can move past his internal conflict. Ironically, everyone thinks that Dimmesdale is being rhetorical, which causes him further anguish. When at last Dimmesdale dies because of his personal struggles and punishments, he becomes even more of an icon than he was living. So it seems that Dimmesdale was unable to achieve his true identity, because some believed that his confession was symbolic, instead of…
One day the poor fisherman, Kino, found” the great pearl as large as a sea-gull’s egg”(Steinbeck 10). Conquently, Kino saw hope that Coyotito will have an education inside the pearl. In the Pearl, by John Steinbeck, Kino, a poor fisherman find the pearl and saw hope that Coyotito go to school and kino and Juana can get married. Next, Kino and his family fight danger as the pearl become more evil. Then they climb the mountain to hide from the hunters and coyotito gets kill. Finally, kino and juana go home and kino throw the pearl into the ocean and there is no more song of the pearl.…