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Scarlet Letter Essay

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Recommended: Critical appresiation of the novel the scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter written by author Nathaniel Hawthorne is an American novel based on sin and the act of Adultery. This novel is based on the early days of the Massachusetts colony and shows how differently crimes are approached then from now. Hester Prynne commits the unfaithful crime of Adultery and not only does she have to serve for her punishment, but her daughter serves for it as well. Pearl, the symbol of an act of forbidden love and passion has to live with being the reminder of her mother 's misconduct for her entire life. Growing up in a small town with her reputation, it is hard for Pearl to have any kind of normality in her life. Pearl is unlike the other children in many ways, she is an outcast and does not have a friendly relationship …show more content…

Looking at the text in a deeper way, one may come to realize that if Pearl was born in a purer and less sinful manner then she would have the ability to connect with others on a more individual level, and been able to act as her true self. As stated in the novel, “We have spoken of Pearl’s rich and luxuriant beauty; a beauty that shone with deep and vivid tints; a bright complexion, eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow, and hair already of a deep, glossy brown, and which, in after years would be nearly akin to black.” (Hawthorne 69) This shows factual evidence on how Pearls upbringings have changed her from the young lady she was born to be. Unfortunately, Pearl will always serve as a reminder to her mother of the poor decision that she made with Arthur Dimmesdale. Looking at the situation from a different perspective, it seems that Hester has two scarlet letters to burden her for the rest of her life. The beautifully embroidered one that will forever be placed on the chest of her clothing, and the physical living letter that embodies her daughter Pearl. Even though Pearl Prynne is a secondary character in this novel, she still plays an essential role in the plot. As she is the reasoning for the scarlet letter, without her none of this would’ve happened. She is the visual representation of the sin that her mother committed, and will forever be looked at by the townspeople as a sickening and unworthy person. As Pearl is growing up chapter by chapter it will be a noticeable twist to see how she begins to react to the people who disapprove of her. Pearl still has time in this novel to develop into more or less of the character she is portraying herself to

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In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, Pearl abandons her once wild, untamed nature for a mature and humane lifestyle, because of her father's public confession. Pearl is originally described as a wild, inhumane child with no regards to the laws of both the town and the Puritan society. Pearl often surprised her mother with her elfish behavior: “It was a look so intelligent...but generally accompanied by a wild flow of spirits, that hester could not help questioning, at such moments, whether Pearl was a human child” (Hawthorne 84). At first Pearl can be seen acting out in direct defiance to the law.

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Pearl, throughout the book, shows everyone in a new light. Through the eyes of a child, filled with understanding. Wanting to learn more about the people around her, lets us also get to read more of them in depth. Making Pearl essential to the book, from her birth giving the main plot of the story, to her being treated by the millionairess elders of the town, and finally being awaken into the new world, through so many deaths.

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Ever since she was born, The Scarlet Letter defines Pearl as the symbol of Hesther’s crime. In other words, Pearl is considered Hester’s curse. She is the one who was blamed for all the trouble that our main characters came across. Readers tend to put down Pearl’s role in the novel. Actually, as contradicting as it may sound, I was one of those readers.

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However, the system’s uncompromising and authoritarian nature never thwarts Pearl, the novel’s sole child figure and a perpetual embodiment of her mother’s sin, from staying true to her bold, imaginative personality. Pearl, Hawthorne’s version of a child who defies all societal expectations in an alienating world, is both a testament to youth’s capability to rebel from and transcend oppression and a precursor of early Transcendentalism. Pearl’s behavior and physical appearance are both contrary to the expectations of Puritan doctrine. Born the daughter of Hester Prynne, the ignominious figure of sin in the town, Pearl is innately susceptible to society’s judgement: “The child could not be made amenable to rules. In giving her existence, a great law had been broken, and the result was a being whose elements were perhaps beautiful and brilliant, but all in disorder” ().

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The narrator even explains that Pearl was “her mother’s only treasure”(Hawthorne, 111). Yet, even though Pearl was her mother’s treasure, she was the townspeople’s annoyance. Pearl had done nothing, but others will judge your family’s character based on you. Pearl was teased tremendously! Governor Bellingham even said “There used to be a swarm of these small apparitions in holiday time, and we called them children of the Lord of Misrule.

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She was very energetic and definitely had a devious way about her. The two of us were walking in the woods when she was about 7 years old when we came across Reverend Dimmesdale as he was walking back toward town. He looked to be in such poor health and fragile mind, I took him aside pleaded with him to fight for a chance to return to his former self. A plan was born for us to leave Boston in four days’ time, the day after he was to give an important sermon. We were both so excited about the possibility of a fresh start to our lives that we invited Pearl into our private

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Pearl now is understanding everything. She went from a “demon child” to a mature child just learning about life. She was right there when her father has died. It made Pearl very emotional, a side we haven’t quite seen as a characteristic of Pearl. She is sad that her father had to go, but she is more than proud to see he has loved her and her mother enough to lose his life.

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I think that pearl is intriguing because of what I think hawthorne's reasoning for putting her as a main character in the book. My theory is that hawthorne was trying to teach us the value and importance of children and their knowledge. One of the main reasons I think this is because I think that Hawthorne intended for pearl to sort of represent innocence. In the bible when Adam and Eve sin, they are cast out of paradise. After this they cry a lot and

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Pearl is the daughter of Hester and Arthur. She then grows up to be smart and creative.(Ed. Diane

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In fact, any child that tried to make friend with were met with a moody child that preferred to play alone and only interact with the natural things. Being a lonely kid Pearl opts to communicate with her own reflection and this also helps the reader to know what is happening in the book. For her age, pearl is able to communicate effectively with adults like her parents. She relates to them in a very complicated way that other children her own age cannot do and through this we see he asking her parent's very hard questions. This characteristic helps the author to pass across the themes that he intended to pass when he was writing the novel like sin punishment and

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Hawthorne's description of Pearl’s character embodies both the innocent side of a little girl as well as an out of control “witch child” to the extent that both sides are shown to battle for control. The clash of these opposing personas stems from the conflict between natural innocence and a challenging environment. The clash inside Pearl of the innocent little girl and the “witch child” that was brought into a challenging environment is shown through Pearl’s actions, where both personas seem to be battling for control. While she is isolated in her cabin with her mother, Hawthorne describes Pearl playing by herself where “Her one baby-voice served a multitude of imaginary personages, old and young, to talk withal… ...

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The Scarlet Letter follows the story of Hester Prynne, a woman forced by the Puritan community she resides in to wear a badge of humiliation (a shiny red A sewn to her bosom) for committing adultery. Quickly introduced to Hester’s daughter, Pearl, readers are left wondering who her father is. After several years pass, the leaders of the community, referring to Pearl as a child of the devil, attempt to take her away from her mother, deciding that Hester is incapable of raising her. However, they fail and Hester remains to care for her daughter.

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Pearl states how she doesn 't care about her mother 's sin, and she is proud to be her mother 's child. In conclusion, Hester, Gov. Bellingham has been through enough painful punishments for her crime and needs Pearl for companionship and support. Hester was tormented and publicly humiliated for having Pearl and after going threw all that torment she deserves to keep her daughter Pearl. " But she named the infant "Pearl," as being of great price ,—purchased with all she had,— her mother 's only treasure!" ( Hawthorne, 73).

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As Pearl is a symbol for Dimmesdale and Hester, this claim of her being “naughty” indicates a comparison to the indecent and inappropriate sin that both Dimmesdale and Hester acted upon. Pearl is insulted and judged as being a “naughty elf” and not being a “Christian child” and coincidently as the offspring of Hester, it is clear that their Puritan society believes Hester’s immoral past has rubbed off on Pearl causing her to be a “naughty” child. Hawthorne, however, is proving indirectly through the symbolism of Pearl that she is behaving in such a way to illustrate the manner in which Hester, in this case, is handling her

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She embraced her situation and continued living her life. Pearl was seen by the puritans as an “Evil” or “Unholy” child, but the truth is she is actually a symbol of romanticism. The puritans don’t exactly see it this way, but pearl is the act of love. Her appearance is romantic. "

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