Perverse Merriment In Scarlet Letter

In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the narrator describes Pearl by using many seemingly evil words. Even with these negative words, Pearl is still the light for Hester. The narrator described Pearl “… was in one of those moods of perverse merriment…” (Hawthorne 106). In that quotation, the phrase “perverse merriment” stands out. Perverse means showing a desire to behave in an unacceptable manor. Merriment would be full of happiness. The narrator is saying that Pearl is acting gleeful in a way that is unacceptable. Later the narrator goes on the state, “She [Pearl] now skipped irreverently from one grave to another; until, coming to the broad, flat, armorial tombstone of a departed worthy … she began to dance upon it.” (Hawthorne

They, then, call here an imp. An imp is a small mischievous devil. This word has a negative denotative meaning, as well as a negative connotative meaning. By using the word imp, the narrator is telling us that Pearl has some sort of dark side to her. That even though she is happy and gleeful always, there is some sort of immoral darkness to her. This is why the narrator used the phrase perverse merriment. Pearl is having all the fun she wants even though her actions are considered wrong or sinful to the town. With all of this in mind, it helps the narrator to make people see the truth about Pearl. As stated before there is an immoral darkness to Pearl. The immoral part about her could be how she was conceived. Pearl is the result of the sin of adultery between Hester and her lover. Pearl’s darkness or immorality could be the consequence of having her. Even with all of this, Hester still views Pearl as her world. She loves Pearl very much and doesn’t know what to do without her. Hester gave up everything she had for Pearl. With how Pearl is describe, all of the words with negative connotative meanings, the reader would think that Pearl is a burden to her mother, Hester, and to the people of the Massachusetts Bay