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Character analysis on hester prynne in the scarlet letter
Character analysis on hester prynne in the scarlet letter
Character analysis on hester prynne in the scarlet letter
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Children and adults have always been vastly different in how they see the world around them and how they react to it. At a certain age the nature of child will change from curiosity to conformity. This change greatly influences an individual’s perception of the world and leads to an ideological gap between the young and the old. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, children have a large impact on the actions of adults. Through their ability to carefully observe an environment and their unrestrained reactions to situations, children present a better understanding of the world around them than the adults in the book. Throughout the novel, the character Pearl is shown not only to be observant of her surroundings, but also to be able to make connections from those observations. She is described as having a “tendency to hover about the enigma of the …show more content…
While not understanding what the symbol means, Pearl is still able to notice how others view it and make her own conclusions based on this. As the book progresses, Pearl takes note of the minister’s tendency to place his hand over his heart. The townspeople also notice this action, however, Pearl is the only one who is able to accurately locate its source. She determines the relationship between the scarlet letter and Dimmesdale with ease, stating “‘It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart’” (139). Of course, Pearl is naturally more likely to make these connections due to her closeness to both Hester and the minister, but for a child to make such inferences is indicative
There is nothing more pliable than the mind of a child, and because of the world that she lives in, Pearl has been forced into the deeper understanding of what eternally plasters her mother’s chest; this is even in infancy. “One day, as her mother stooped over the cradle, the infant’s eyes had been caught by the glimmering of the gold embroidery about the letter; and, putting up her little hand, she grasped it, smiling not doubtfully, but with a decided gleam that gave her face the look of a much older child” (Hawthorne 79-80). Though it terrifies Hester, the fact that Pearl is able to identify that the letter exists is only the gateway to the growth of her knowledge of it. This comes into effect more prominently in the following years when she finally begins to comprehend the scarlet letter’s importance. Pearl realizes that because her mother wears the letter, people treat her differently. She does not know why or how, but she knows that it is not right. One person in particular who treats Hester differently is Dimmesdale. Though at the time she does not know her father, Pearl understands that the scarlet letter controls his life just as much as it does Hester’s, but he is not treated differently. Even so, her innocence takes over and questions why he does not have the same burden as Hester. A quote on page 127 can support this: “Pearl
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne does an admirable job of expressing the true nature of his characters. Nowhere in his story is this more obvious than in his portrayal of the children. Children, in their innocence will say or do anything, for unlike adults, they are not constrained by societal expectations. They are oblivious to most manners and politics and therefore, are less reserved than the adults when it comes to questioning things or speaking their mind.
As humans we are affected by our environment, either the social aspects, or the location of residence, or interior of the world we live in. These effects can either be positive to one’s nature or deteriorating to one’s morals. When we look at the substantial impacts of a positive culture, such as the enlightenment that boosted the intelligence and desire to learn of expanding countries all around, we see that it can truly make a difference. On the other hand, if a child is raised in a cruel environment or drug ridden neighborhood, they to will most likely follow in the path. So our society and environment greatly impacts our human behavior and thoughts, this is especially shown in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter throughout the moral and physical changes in Hester, Dimmesdale, and Pearl.
...letter. She begins to symbolize her mother’s conscience. Hester would lead a life less grievous if not for Pearl. Should Pearl not be born, Hester Pyrnne would be less likely to be found guilty of adultery; therefore, never having to wear the scarlet "A" on her bosom. This is the reason of Pearl being the living embodiment of the scarlet letter.
"To be fully human is to balance the heart, the mind, and the spirit.'; One could suggest the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, that one should not violate the sanctity of the human heart. Hester was well ahead of her time, and believed that love was more important than living in a lie. Dimmesdale’s theology and his inclinations render him almost incapable of action; Chillingsworth dammed himself, along with Dimmesdale. Hester was “frank with [Chillingsworth].';
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne has introduced a character that has been judged harshly. Because, she has been misinformed of her husband’s death; therefore, she was greave and had sought comfort resulting in a baby from the lover whom gave her comfort. When her secret had been discovered she was isolated for committing a treacherous crime of adultery, as one of her punishments she was forced to wear an A on her chest. The novel presents a structure of a society, using symbolism and diction to give underline meaning to the themes, portraying religious tendencies ruled by the philosophy of good and evil.
In the book, Chillingworth is a physician who had been captured by Native Americans sometime ago and subsequently released by them into Boston, Massachusetts, who was strictly a Puritan settlement at the time. In the years of his imprisonment by the Indians, he was taught many native herbs and plants of the New World, and their uses on the human body. Through this, he entered Boston as a physician, known to have "gathered herbs, and the blossoms of wild-flowers, and dug up roots, and plucked off twigs from the forest-trees, like one acquainted with hidden virtues in what was valueless to common eyes." ( The Scarlet Letter , p. 120). Chillingworth had the knowledge of a particular drug, Atropine, which caused a sickness that closely resembled the condition of Dimmesdale. Chillingworth's motive for retribution to Dimmesdale for his adultery was very clear throughout the book, "There is a sympathy that will make me conscious of him. I shall see him tremble. I shall feel myself shudder, suddenly and unawares. Sooner or later, he must needs be mine." (p. 80). Chillingworth's vengeful nature consumed his life and his only goal in life became the torment of Hester's adulterous husband, Dimmesdale. He was already showing signs of sickness, assumed by the reader to be attributed to his guilty conscience, and these were only amplified by the poisoning Chillingworth had inflicted upon him.
Hester's daughter, Pearl, functions primarily as a symbol. She is quite young during most of the events of this novel—when Dimmesdale dies she is only seven years old—and her real importance lies in her ability to provoke the adult characters in the book. She asks them pointed questions and draws their attention, and the reader's, to the denied or overlooked truths of the adult world. In general, children in The Scarlet Letter are portrayed as more perceptive and more honest than adults, and Pearl is the most perceptive of them all.
Pearl is reluctant to approach Dimmesdale, and she throws a fit when she sees her mother’s scarlet letter on the ground along with her hair down. Pearl has assumed the role of a living scarlet letter, so when she sees the letter on the ground she sees herself being disregarded by her own mother. Hawthorne’s purpose of this chapter is simple, he wants the reader to understand what is happening through Pearl’s perspective. For her or for any child, change is hard, and Hawthorne clearly demonstrates this idea throughout this
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 manifestations of truth and innocence in the character, Pearl, help support the overall effect of her being a mysterious creature that Nathaniel Hawthorne produced in The Scarlet Letter. This paradox of one person representing both innocence and also truth, which is the loss of innocence, gives Pearl special qualities and allows her to play a significant role. She is introduced in the beginning of the novel as the result of her mother, Hester’s adulterous relations. She will continue to be the only, living testament to this painful, but real sin. As the story progresses, her high intellect and curiosity tend to make Hester worry about her finding out the reason why they are obviously being treated differently from everyone else in town. Pearl’s insistence upon uncovering for herself and ultimately to all of the townspeople the secret that has burdened her mother as well as their minister, Dimmesdale, portrays the constant struggle between truth and innocence. Like critic, Anne Marie McNamara states, “Pearl is part of the ‘electric chain’ formed as she, Dimmesdale, and Hester join hands in the darkness and stand on the pillory as a family for the first time,” Pearl is the missing link between Hester and Dimmesdale in that their relationship lacked innocence and doubly posing as the figure of truth in that she is a constant reminder of their unfaithful actions. Her ability to keep secrets from her parents as they are doing to her is ironic and essential as her “preternatural” knowledge causes them gain greater understanding about themselves, others, and provides them with the opportunity for freedom and growth.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is one of the most respected and admired novels of all time. Often criticized for lacking substance and using more elaborate camera work, freely adapted films usually do not follow the original plot line. Following this cliché, Roland Joffe’s version of The Scarlet Letter received an overwhelmingly negative reception. Unrealistic plots and actions are added to the films for added drama; for example, Hester is about to be killed up on the scaffold, when Algonquin members arrive and rescue her. After close analysis, it becomes evident of the amount of work that is put into each, but one must ask, why has the director adapted their own style of depicting the story? How has the story of Hester Prynne been modified? Regarding works, major differences and similarities between the characterization, visual imagery, symbolism, narration and plot, shows how free adaptation is the correct term used.
Hawthorne uses Pearl to work on the consciences of both her mother Hester and her father Arthur Dimmesdale. He uses her to work on Hester’s conscience throughout the novel by little comments made or actions taken by Pearl that appear to be mean or spiteful towards her mother. For example, Pearl laughs and points at her mother’s scarlet letter as if making fun of it or to make Hester feel bad about it. Hawthorne also uses Pearl’s perceptiveness to point out very straight forwardly, her mother’s sin of adultery. Pearl has almost a supernatural sense, that comes from her youth and freewill for seeing things as they really are and pointing them out to her mother. Pearl is a living version of her mother's scarlet letter. She is the consequence of sin and an everyday reminder to her through her actions and being.
One of the most complex characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Throughout the story, she develops into a dynamic individual, as well as an extremely important symbol. Pearl is shunned from society because of her mother's sin. She is a living representation of the scarlet letter, acting as a constant reminder of Hester's sin.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne analyzes Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. In the story, Hester is the main character of the story and was called Mistress Prynne (Hawthorne 70). Dimmesdale, in the story was referred to as Reverend Dimmesdale (Hawthorne 90). Chillingworth was originally named, Roger Prynne but later in the story he changed his name to Roger Chillingworth. In the story, Hester committed adultery with Dimmesdale against Chillingworth and in the beginning she got punished and sent to prison and later she got to get out of prison but with the exception of having to wear the letter A on her breast every time she went out in to town.