Pearl In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

Journal Entry 5

When Hester went to speak to the governor, she had to use all of her inner strength to find the ability to fight for her right to her child. Hester argued that her badge of shame, “is teaching me lessons whereof my child may be the wiser and better”(Hawthorne, 107). She also argued that God had given Pearl to her for a reason. Pearl is her happiness and torture. Pearl in fact, “is the scarlet letter ,only capable of being loved”(Hawthorne, 109). However, Pearl’s answer to the catechism question caused everyone to go against Hester. And so because of this, Hester had to rely on Dimmesdale for support. Dimmesdale added to Hester 's argument and stated that Pearl is "a child of its father 's guilt and its mother 's shame"

She is described as one, “who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comforting to the afflicted”(Hawthorne, 159). In fact, because of this, people started to change their interpretation of the scarlet letter from its original meaning. “They said that it meant ‘Able’, so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength”(Hawthorne, 158). However, because of Puritan law, no good deed can can make up for her sin. So though her community may be acknowledging her good work, people can technically only forgive her in the silence of their own hearts, for in Puritan society, that letter will forever leave a mark of shame on her. However, as for Hester, even though people are seeing her more positively, the letter has taken away her beauty, charm, and passion, for now she is cold and always in a state of sadness. Basically, her humanity has been stripped from her because of this punishment. In this sense, the Puritan community thinks that the letter has done its job because Hester is doing good deeds for others. The letter itself did not make her want to help others, so she could care less about what people are thinking about her. Though the scarlet letter, “has not done its office”, Hester still refuses to take it off, for she feels it would be meaningless. All she cares about is her relationship and

Throughout these four chapters, Dimmesdale and Hester meet in a more intimate setting. This is the first time where the more soft parts of their relationship is seen, for all aspects of their relationship so far have been about their punishment and sin. Even though they have not been able to express any love to one another for 7 years, both Hester and Dimmesdale have maintained those feelings inside. So when they met in the forest and held hands, “they now felt themselves, at least, inhabitants of the same sphere”(Hawthorne, 186). In this love that they have, they both share one common sin. This sin, a sin of passion, unites them as one. Dimmesdale has lived his life for the past 7 years with terrible guilt, for he has only confessed his sin to God. His parishioners think he speaks as if “a tongue of Pentecost were speaking”(Hawthorne, 188).Dimmesdale has been holding on to his sin alone, while Hester wears it openly, for the Scarlet Letter is indeed a sign of her guilt and shame to anyone who sees her. Hester knows that they both need to leave in order to do God’s will in another place. Hester knows that Dimmesdale will be able to, “Preach! Write! and Act!”(Hawthorne, 194), in another place for she feels Dimmesdale has repented enough. Through this conversation, Hawthorne is showing the strengths of the characters. Hester has used inner strength and courage for