The Character of Pearl in The Scarlet Letter
Pearl was known as the devils child when she was young. She would have temper tantrums and do things her mother did not like. Pearl didn't know the true meaning of he letter on her mother's bosom. When the book ended, it did not say what happened to Pearl and how she lived her life from there. I believe that after Dimmesdale died and as Pearl got older, Hester told her what the true meaning of the scarlet letter was. I think Pearl always remembered that she was the result of that letter on her mother's bosom. To that, she would live her life truly and honestly.
I assume that Pearl grew up to be a beautiful woman. I believe she married a wonderful husband, was rue to him, and both made a good living. I think they lived in a nice home and were known by many other people. They both loved their life and lived it the best they could.
Pearl and her husband eventually had children. She would have taught them to do what is right and many other good things. She would have told her children about the scarlet letter that her mother once had to wear. How she wore it because of what she did wrong, and how she lived her own life because of it. Pearl would have brought her children up the right way and how she thought was good.
They would have lived a good lifestyle and done many things together as a family. Pearl and her husband stuck together and were truthful to each other. I think Pearl lived up to her ability and was a hard worker. She lived by God's rules and did what was right. Because of knowing what her mother did, I believe that she lived an honest life. She told the truth and was true to herself and others around her. She knew right from wrong. I can see that Pearl would have helped people out and would have done many good and godly things for others.
In conclusion, I think all the doings and actions of Pearl were honest and true because of how her own mother brought her up and how her mother lived her own life.
Pearl looks like the human version of the scarlet letter. Pearl is an example of the innocent result of sin. All the kids make fun of Pearl and they disclude her from everything. She never did anything wrong, but everyone treats her like she committed the sin also. Pearl acts out against the children that make fun of her and acts like a crazy child. She cannot control the sin that her parents committed. Hester accepts the Puritan way and sees Pearl as a creature of
As the book progresses, the reader will observe the development of Pearl’s psyche while witnessing the deterioration
Like Yin and Yang, Pearl generates all things around her and is a necessity to this story. Without Pearl, there would be no story. Pearl teaches everyone in the novel and the readers that someone or something can be what brings two people together, good outcomes can arise from irresponsible choices, and finally that in our own way we all symbolize something greater than we consider ourselves to
Pearl has spent her entire life knowing who her mother is and identifies her with and only with the letter on. “Pearl’s image, crowned, and girdled with flowers, but stamping its foot, wildly gesticulating, and in the midst of all, still pointing its small forefinger at Hester’s bosom!” (Hawthorne 173). In this scene, Hester takes the letter off when she is with Dimmesdale, and Pearl refuses to come near her until she puts the letter back on; she recognizes that the letter is a part of who her mother is. The identity of herself is also uncovered as a result of the letter. Pearl sees how the Puritan society treats her mother and refuses to act likewise. Not only does she stand up to those who judge Hester, but she also practices being kind instead. “Pearl was almost sure, [the bird] had been hit by a pebble and fluttered away with a broken wing. But then the elf-child sighed, and gave up her sport; because it grieved her to have done harm to a little being that was as wild as the sea-breeze, or as wild as Pearl herself” (Hawthorne 147). Pearl cares for the wellbeing of those around her, both human and animal. This has shaped who she is through her kindness and her intelligence; it becomes what her identity is and displays how she identifies her mother, verifying that she was impacted the most by the scarlet
Pearl is first introduced as the young babe clutched to Hester's chest, as she stands before a crowd of puritans beholding her humiliation. Embarrassed of the glaring letter on her chest, Hester thinks to hold little Pearl in front of her scarlet mark; however, she resolves that “one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another” (P.37). It is here that we see for the first time that Pearl has been reduced to nothing more than a symbol of Hester's sin, synonymous with the scarlet letter. As Pearl grows, so does the obvious nature with which Hawthorne portrays her as the scarlet letter. Throughout the book, we see Pearl dressed in bright clothes,
From the moment she is born in the cold, heartless prison, Pearl is placed under scrutiny. The townspeople see her as a visible reminder of sin, and it isn't long until even her own mother searches for evil in her. The girl is described as "the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!"(Hawthorne 103). With her fascination from an early age with the scarlet letter, Hester believes that Pearl's very reason for existence is to torment her mother. Hester fails to realize that the letter is just something bright and significant to which Pearl reacts; instead, she sees every glance, every word aimed at the letter, every touch of Pearl's tiny fingers to her bosom as an added torture resulting from her adultery. Hester, considering Pearl's very existence, goes so far as to question if the impish child is even her own. "Thou art not my child! Thou art no Pearl of mine!"(Hawthorne 99) she tells Pearl, only half-jokingly. In her own way, she wonders whether Pearl was sent to her by God or by a demon wishing to cause her pain. She is not alone in this speculation; many of the town's citizens believe there is something of the Devil in Pearl.
Evil. Pearl was the baby that was born into darkness and is now a devil baby. The name Pearl was a very unique name and the meaning is very unique as well. The name Pearl is very unique in it’s own way already, but Hawthorne makes it even more unique. “But she named the infant Pearl, as of being of great price, -purchased with all she had, -her mother’s only treasure.” (Hawthorne 81) Hawthorne says that because no matter how evil Pearl is, she happens to be the only thing that keeps Hester sane. Pearl is a very devious child and I think it’s because Hester created her out of sin. “Pearl would grow up positively terrible in her puny wrath, snatching up stones to fling at them, with shrill, incoherent exclamations” (Hawthorne 86) Hawthorne explains that Pearl is always doing bad things but she doesn’t know any better because that’s how she was
Pearl, if they had taken her away from then I would have gladly gone into the
In an article I read, Michael Cooper says, “Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic symbol - one that is always changing. Alth...
add up to 180o and even if we have never thought about it before we
At the first of Pearl’s role in the story, it appears as though someone so grounded in her beliefs, spiritual and mental, would never be dynamic in character. However, that is not the case. This character analysis will explain the life of Pearl, and what she meant to other roles of The Scarlet Letter.
The implications of Pearl’s name are clear from the beginning. The image of a literal pearl invokes thoughts of purity, virginity, and innocence. The character
Pearl and the other Puritan children have a huge role in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Pearl is displayed as very different from any of the other children in the book. The attitudes of the children tell the reader a lot about the lives of the Puritans. The story emphasizes that children were to be seen but not heard however, Hester chooses to let Pearl live a full and exciting life. Hester does not restrict pearl or hide her from anyone or anything. This is part of the reason that Pearl becomes such a colorful child. People see Pearl as a child of sin; the devil’s child. Pearl is quite the opposite. She is a happy and intelligent little girl. Pearl is born with an incredible sense of intuition. She sees the pain her mother feels but does not understand where the pain is coming from. Pearl knows somehow deep in her heart that Dimmesdale is her father. She takes a very strong liking to him. This makes it much harder on dimmesdale to work through the guilt seeing what a beautiful thing came from his terrible secret. Pearl serves as a blessing to and a curse to Hester. Hester Prynne loves her daughter dearly but she is a constant reminder of the mistakes she has made.
The development of Pearl was highlighted through the narration of the book, explicitly describing how she felt when Ellis would express his conflicting opinions on Papa S’ practices. Pearl’s narrative point of view conveyed her as an innocent character who was unaware of the good from people outside of her cult, named Seed. She only knew what she was taught, such as the belief of wickedness of the Outside influencing Seed (pg. 75). Nonetheless, her beliefs changed gradually after the appearance of Ellis. Ellis was more educated
Pearl is questioning whether Arthur (her father) loves them or not. She wants to look up to him as father figure and have him in her life, living with them as a family.