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Vocabulary In The Scarlet Letter

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Recommended: Theme of relationship in the scarlet letter

I. Vocabulary
Penitence- noun- Regret for ones wrongdoing or sinning; contrition; repentance. (Pg 77)
Caprice- noun- A sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior. (Pg 92)
Palliate- verb- To make a disease or its symptoms less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause. (Pg 125)
II. Discussion Questions
Do you think Pearl can be considered an imp given the description of her looking like a glimmering light that comes and goes at any given moment? If so, why do think that? If not, explain your reasoning.
If Mr. Bellingham were to have taken Pearl away from Hester, do you think that Hester would have committed suicide being that Pearl was one of the only people that she loved?
Do you think that Arthur Dimmesdale wanted to die considering …show more content…

Pearl, who was a young girl, had some strange qualities including a strange remoteness and intangibility as if she were hovering in air and might vanish like a glimmering light at any given moment. Pearl begun to ask Hester questions about who were father was, but Hester replied saying that she had a "Heavenly Father" since she did not know how to fully respond to the question. Hester was at risk of getting Pearl taken away from her by Governor Bellingham because he thought that Hester was not responsible enough to raise such a young child. Pearl was ultimately able to stay with Hester since Mr. Dimmesdale had been able to defend Hester and her rights as the mother of a child. Mr. Dimmesdale's health began to steadily decline and he was in need of assistance, but was not able to get any until Roger Chillingworth appeared. Chillingworth and Dimmesdale formed a close relationship because Chillingworth believed that it was necessary for him to do so in order for him to try to cure Mr. Dimmesdale. Chillingworth began to show unkind qualities and became a thief of the riches that belonged to Mr. Dimmesdale. When Chillingworth asked Mr. Dimmesdale to reveal the wound and trouble in his soul in order for him to be healed, he lashed out at him and stormed off. Ultimately, Chillingworth had found Mr. Dimmesdale to be in a deep sleep

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Originally, Chillingworth becomes very close with Dimmesdale. Then, he uses his position as physician to bring guilt upon Dimmesdale. Chillingworth asks him many questions, and Dimmesdale replies with “[why] call in a physician, and then hide the sore” (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 93). He shows a lot of “fierceness” and forcefulness to Dimmesdale in trying to get him to confess his sin with Hester(Hawthorne, 1994, p. 94).

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Much to the surprise of the townspeople, Pearl has become a comfort and vindication for Hester. Pearl has found fascination in the letter making it less of a penalty for Hester. She hasn’t been able to be understood by the townspeople because she is seen as a creature of heaven and therefore not understood by those who have impure motives. But Hester also sees Pearl as a burden of her past because without the pregnancy of Pearl her affair would never have been discovered and she would’ve remained as a part of the town instead of an outcast. She gave Hester a lot of grief because she had such an uncontrollable attitude, she was strong willed and crated many annoyances for her

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This interaction between infant Pearl and Dimmesdale is significant because Pearl is described as a child who only shows affection towards her family (Hester). As Pearl ages, many Puritans conspire to separate her from her mother. Upon hearing this, Hester visits the governor’s hall to try and persuade him to allow Pearl to remain with her. Hester is ultimately allowed to keep Pearl, not because of her words, but because of the words spoken by Dimmesdale, who convinces Governor Bellingham and Reverend John Wilson. Afterwards, Pearl “stole softly towards him, and, taking his hand in the grasp of both her own, laid her cheek against it” (79).

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This occurs after multiple sources continually badgered and convinced Dimmesdale to seek aid for his appearance ailments, from Chillingworth who is the only practicing physician in town. Throughout the treatment the two men become good friends, sharing their different views on subjects, but also becoming more intimate with each other. Chillingworth believes that many physical illnesses stem from the mind and heart (“bosom”), so he must become acquainted with his patients thoughts, motives, and ethics. However, Chillingworth is depicted as a “treasure-seeker”, alluding to the notion that there might be other subjects he seeks to attain. The author's portrayal of Dimmesdale as a “dark cavern”, elicits that the man has blackened his bosom with sin, but also that Chillingworth must be careful in his probing or he may injure himself (lose Dimmesdale’s

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If Hester had not had Pearl she may have followed long the path of Anne Hutchinson, but she had to be an example for pearl and had to continue the punishment. Hester also changes no longer the same woman of seven years prior, instead of her tender and passionate self she becomes a bare and harsh outline of herself. She also begins to wonder

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Although, to Hester, Pearl’s “Peculiarity...should correspond with the guiltiness to which she owed her being” (85). Again, Hester thinks that if Pearl is abnormal it is due to her sin, and that she must deal with Pearl, to rid herself of her guilt. Not long after Hester is released from prison,

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Dimmesdale speaks up for the family and says how God sent Pearl to the world and to Hester. He says that Pearl is both a blessings but she is also a curse. This persuades the other men and they say Hester is allowed to keep Pearl. Pearl

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Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale were all forgiven by god. Hester breaks free from all the negativity and her beauty finally shows. Dimmesdale is still lived by all the citizens. Pearl becomes rich and lives a great life. Hester and Dimmesdale were no longer tortured by god.

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Pearl’s estranged behavior is believed to be a result of the way she was conceived through sin, which is just another example of how Pearl is the physical representation and constant reminder of Hester’s sin. Towards the end of the book, Pearl is finally allowed to be a real human being once Dimmesdale confesses his sin. In Chapter 23, Hawthorne writes, “The great scene of grief, in which the wild infant bore a part had developed all her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her father’s cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy…” (Hawthorne 142).

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Following Dimmesdale’s death, “all [of Chillingworth 's] strength and energy… and intellectual force seemed at once to desert him… and almost vanished from mortal sight” (Hawthorne 212), as his own death quickly proceeds within a year. When the source of evil that he leeches off of disappears, Chillingworth’s life begins to disintegrate, as he lacks further purpose to survive due to his loss of humanity. His obsession with obtaining revenge eventually forces him to lose control of his own fate, as it becomes dependent on Dimmesdale’s actions. Since Chillingworth devoted his life to seeking revenge on Dimmesdale, without a mortal target, his existence becomes meaningless. In an effort to assert control and prolong his own life, Chillingworth tries to terminate Dimmesdale’s public confession.

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Her defiance becomes stronger and will carry her through different hardships. Her determination and lonely stand repeats again when she confronts Governor Bellingham over the issue of Pearl’s guardianship. When Bellingham wants to take Pearl away from Hester, Hester reply’s with, “God gave me the child! I will die first!”(Ch.). When also pressured even more for the child’s care, Hester pleads, “God gave her into my keeping.

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He was the last person that people would think as a sinner. Dimmesdale was sin when he was committed adultery with Hester. He broke the law of church, but he was afraid to face the punishment and indifferent attitude from he masses. As a faithful follower, Dimmesdale also afraid the punishment of God, so he flog himself with a whip. The physical and spiral torture and the control of Chillingworth stranded him in a world that he cannot contact with others.

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It is quite obvious in Nathaniel Hawthorne 's The Scarlet Letter that Pearl, Hester Prynne 's daughter, plays a major role. Not only is she one of the main characters, but she is prevalent theme in the novel, as well. Pearl is not written like a regular character. Most of the other symbols in the story, such as the scarlet letter or the rose bush, lead back to Pearl. Pearl takes on many symbols and serves great purpose.

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In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne’s sin mars her chest, but her true punishment, and salvation, dwells within her daughter, Pearl. Often described as a peculiar sprite, this impish girl proves to be a vital character in her mother’s development, and amplifies the correctional efficacy of the scarlet letter, though not in a way the Puritans had expected. Pearl is one of the few people who are able to reveal Hester’s true character, and she plays an important role in her psychological stability and support throughout the story. As the product of sin, Pearl was born into a world that despised her existence and regarded her as an extension of the scarlet letter.

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Some of the differences between these two characters are also what makes them alike, as well as setting them apart from the rest of the characters in the book. Hester and Dimmesdale’s need to repent and face their punishments in their own ways leads the reader through the book with surprises at every turn. The characters face challenges from holding in a secret, and facing a punishment all relating to the same actions taken before the book begins. Hester, the mother of Pearl ,as well as the main character, was

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