Child And Adulthood In The Scarlet Letter

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The bond between a child and a parent is undeniable. A child entrusts their parent as a young child and throughout their life. In The Scarlet Letter, the attitude Pearl has towards her father, Dimmesdale, changes throughout the novel and as time progresses. Dimmesdale and Hester, who are Pearl’s parents, are two individuals who committed adultery under a Puritan society. Hester is publicly scrutinized and receives the punishment of having to wear the scarlet letter on her clothing, but can not be executed because there is no evidence of her having a husband. The result of their sin was their child, Pearl, who is seen as just that. She has wild behavior and serves as a reminder to Hester of her sin, as she reminds her of the scarlet letter. Pearl plays a vital role in the couple’s future throughout the novel. Children usually have a strong bond with their parents, which is built throughout their lifetime. Pearl is very mean to the other kids, but takes to her mother. Pearl first meets the minister, Dimmesdale, and feels an automatic connection with him. She puts her hand on …show more content…

Pearl was the result of Dimmesdale and Hester committing adultery. She has wild behavior and serves as a reminder to Hester of her sin, as she reminds her of the Scarlet Letter. She plays a vital role in pushing the story along. Her attitude towards Dimmesdale changes as time goes on. At first, she puts her hand on his cheek and accepts him. Then, she regards him as man entangled in the devil’s doings. Then, she wouldn’t accept him as her father until he revealed himself as her father. At last, she accepts him as her father as he reveals himself on the scaffold. She could finally live her life as a person, instead of this constant reminder to her parents of their sin. The changing attitudes of Pearl towards Dimmesdale really shows how influential Pearl is and how it reflects on the story

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