Symbolism Of Pearl In The Scarlet Letter

The role of Pearl in the Scarlet Letter

This essay will be analysing the significance of the selected passage as well as emphasizing how this passage helps give the reader a more vivid insight to the lives of the protagonists of the Scarlet Letter as well as developing the plot further. The passage, taken from Chapter 16, “A Forest Walk,” is illustrative of the role Pearl plays in the text. It is also an insight on the significance of the scarlet letter as a symbol.
Pearl is aware of things that others do not see, and here she identifies the scarlet letter on her mother’s bosom with the metaphorical as well as literal lack of sunshine in her mother’s life. As a result of her youth, Pearl often does not understand the consequences of the
things she sees. Another interesting idea is how she frequently reveals truths by asking indirectly pointed questions. These interesting queries make her mother uncomfortable and contribute to the text’s suspense. Additionally Pearl assumes that as children often do, that her mother is representative of all adults. Throughout the novel she thinks that all grown women wear a scarlet letter or its equivalent. Surely, Pearl has noticed that the other women in town don’t wear scarlet letters, but on a more figurative level, her question suggests that sin—that which the scarlet letter is intended to represent, is a part of being a mature human being. In Chapter 16 “A Forest Walk”, Hester and Pearl are walking through the forest because Hester aims to discuss Chillingworth with Dimmesdale.
Meanwhile, Pearl is playing in the sun. For some strange reason, the sun is not shining on Hester. Then Pearl notices this and points out that the sun “runs away and hides itself”, because it is “afraid of something on Hester’s bosom”, indicating the scarlet letter that Hester wears. She says that because she is a child, the sun won’t run away from her because she doesn’t have a scarlet letter on her chest. Pearl, depicts a metaphor for how society treats Hester in contrast to how society views herself. The sunlight, being a metaphor for society’s viewpoint pays no attention to Hester, hence the sunlight not shining on her. On the other hand Pearl could be seen as representing the rest of society. The sunlight shines on her as she “wears nothing on her bosom yet”. Pearl often provides a greater insight to the plot of the Scarlet Letter by providing an alternate viewpoint on events in the plot as well as revealing truths about characters that often the novel won't even acknowledge. Furthermore, this concept could literally describe the recent lack of sunshine in Hester’s life. How the scarlet letter prevents her from some of her few liberties in the puritan society, resulting in a very depressing life for
Hester.
Another large metaphor that is present in this passage as well as being present in the majority of the novel is Pearl being a metaphor for innocence. Pearl doesn't hesitate to give her opinion on different ideas in the novel. One could say that she lacks a filter, she just says what's on her mind. She is brutally honest. Ironically though, this just makes her even more innocent. The fact that she gives unbiased views on everything she sees, contributes to the idea that she has not yet been tainted by the beliefs of society, thus making her even more innocent. The fact that society's beliefs have not yet tainted her, results in her being an instrumental character in the plot development of the story, her unbiased opinion can reveal truths about different characters in the novel.
In conclusion, Pearls innocence as well as her thirst for knowledge often reveals important character traits that were before unseen without Pearls inquisitive personality. The selected passage highlights metaphors that are prevalent throughout the novel as well as identifies how different characters help to provide meaningful details about alternate characters in the story, with the use of metaphor and Pearls inquisitive character.