Mandy Hale, self-help author, once said,“The bad thing that happens today could be paving the way for the good things coming tomorrow. Trust the process.” This was related to one of the main themes in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, that good things can come out of bad situations. This theme is relevant when Roger Chillingworth is seeking his revenge on Arthur Dimmesdale for the adultery he committed with Hester Prynne. Pearl, who is the daughter of Hester and Dimmesdale, being raised by Hester on her own is another instance of where this theme is relevant. This theme is also shown when Hester is going through her life punishment throughout the story. Roger Chillingworth's revenge on Arthur Dimmesdale for his adultery is a very important …show more content…
“I must tarry at home, and keep watch over my little Pearl. Had they taken her from me, I would willingly have gone with thee into the forest, and signed my name in the Black Man’s book too, and that with mine own blood” (105). This quote in the book is what Hester told Mistress Hibbins when she invited Hester to a witch party in the forest. This was just one of the many times where Pearl helped keep Hester out of harm's way. If Pearl had not been born she might have gone to the witch party and then later been hung for being a witch with Mistress Hibbins. In chapter six Pearl fended off the rude children that were bothering her mother by throwing stones to make them go away. Pearl became somewhat of a protector for her mother at that time. “But she named the infant “Pearl,” as being of great price,-purchased with all she had,-her mother’s only treasure!” (80). This quote was basically saying Pearl was in general always kind of like a beacon of hope for her mother. She seemed to be the only good thing she had in life after she committed adultery. Hester kind of lost all forms of nice human interactions except for having Pearl to talk to, which is probably why Pearl learned to speak at an earlier age than the other children did. Pearl may have at times been vary rude to Hester, but you can also tell throughout the story Pearl really does care a whole lot …show more content…
When Hester had first gotten the scarlet letter it made people shy away from her and think down lowly of her. Later on however the scarlet letter begins to take on the meaning of sympathy, love, caring, and many other good things because of all the good things she does for the community. She sewed not only for the people who can afford the clothing but also for the people affected by poverty. The people begin to say that the A does not represent adultery but that it means Able. Hester also as a result of being shunned for so long begins not to care what the community thinks about her anymore, Nathaniel Hawthorne even says, “If they were resolute to accost her, she laid her finger on the scarlet letter, and passed on” (146). This shows that she no longer cares that she is frowned upon by her community. Hester just takes the people's insults with a grain of salt and passes on doing her chores and good deeds. These examples of good coming from bad situations are very supportive because even though she had committed adultery most of the people started to think even more highly of her then they did before the adultery. She also gained self-assurance from all the years of insults and exile from her community which made her a mentally strong