Nathaniel Pearl Puritan Analysis

The Puritans, or also called precisionists, were a reform group from the sixteenth century, who fled England to escape persecution and traveled to the New World. When they landed in Massachusetts Bay Colony all they had was their beliefs and faith. The Puritans shared two beliefs; their society was the predestination, the Elect, and to be self-disciplined with continual hard work. They had very strict rules as a result of their beliefs, such as their rule adultery; which when committed came with a harsh punishment. In 1636, adultery became a capital crime. In 1658, a law was passed which added on two other punishments for adulterers; the punishments were either a public whipping or a scarlet letter sewn onto a piece of clothing. Nathaniel

Pearl grew up in a very harsh society where others treated her as an outcast because of her mother’s mistake. Pearl was put in a situation where she has to mature quickly and she was a very intelligent girl. Pearl knows she is an outsider and the children she would chase after would make rude comments towards her mother and Pearl’s instincts of flee or fight kicked in and she chose to fight. Which is a common reaction for a child who is shunned by society. As the novel progresses, Pearl acts out less violently and becomes calmer, especially in nature. She could feel at peace in nature because it reflects her wildness. Also, the forest symbolizes an area of freedom away from the townspeople and their rules; she feels safe there since there are no children bullying her there. This could just be a sign of Pearl maturing and understanding the situation her mother put her in. She would pick up on situations very quickly; she may not have to complete story but she could make connections. One instant where she made a connection is when she asked her mother why the minister always “keeps his hand over his heart” (189). Pearl has also made a connection between Hester’s scarlet letter, Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. It shocks Hester that Pearl has caught on so much and even starts wondering whether or not she should tell Pearl about the scarlet letter when Pearl asks about it on the beach. Hester chose to wait a little while longer because it would be “the price of the child’s sympathy” (188). She is not ready to take away Pearl’s childhood and innocence. Even though Pearl is coming of age where she could be told about her mother’s sin, she is still not