Pearl in Scarlet letter :: essays research papers

One of the most complex and elaborate characters in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic individual, as easily as an extremely important symbol. Pearl is involved in a complex history, and as a result is viewed as different and is shunned because of her mothers sin. Pearl is a living Scarlet A to Hester, as well as the reader, acting as a constant reminder of Hesters sin. This connectedness leads to many different views of Pearls character.Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions to characterize Pearl. She is first described as the child, whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion. (81). From the beginning of her life she is viewed as the product of a sin. Physically, Pearl has a dishful that became every day more brilliant, and the intelligence that threw its quiv ering sunshine over the tiny features of this child. (81-82). The exquisite dresses and her beauty cause her to be viewed as even unusual from the other typical puritan children, whom are dressed in traditional clothing. As a result, she is judge by nature and animals, and ostracized by the other Puritan children. Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world the whole peculiarity, in short, of her position in respect to other children. (86). Pearl was not accepted by the children her unavoidable seclusion was due to the sin of her mother. On the rare occasion that the children show interest in Pearl, she lashes out at them.The members of the Puritan guild view Pearl as a weird, strange little girl, born from a sinful act. However, the characters with a closer, more in depth relationship to the child, intuitive feeling differently towards Pearl. She is a strange child I hardly comprehend her But thou wilt love her dearly, as I do, and wilt rede me how to deal with her (186). Hester describes her unbalanced feelings and emotions to Dimmesdale. This statement shows that although Pearls quirks and oddities cause her to become strange in the eyes of others, they form into a love from Hester. This relationship betwixt Hester and Pearl is important because both are ostracized for their irregularities and for the sin and shame of Hester. Dimmesdale responds to Hesters statement with, I have long shrunk from children, because they often show distrust- a diffidence to be familiar with me.