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, through bulge the story, develops into a dynamic individual, as well as an extremely weighty symbol. Pearl is involved in a complex history, and as a result is viewed as dissimilar and is shunned because of her m some others sin. Pearl is a living Scarlet A to Hester, as well as the reader, acting as a continual reminder of Hesters sin. This connection leads to many different views of Pearls character.Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions to characterize Pearl. She is first described as the baby bird, whose innocent keep had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a honorly 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 beauty that became every twenty-four hour period more brilliant, and the intelligence that threw its quivering sunshine over the tiny features of this child. (81-82). The delightful dresses and her beauty cause her to be viewed as even curiousr from the other typical prude children, whom are dressed in traditional clothing. As a result, she is accepted by nature and animals, and ostracized by the other Puritan children. Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world the on 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 society 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, feel differently towards Pearl. She is a strange child I hardly comprehend her But thou wilt love her dearly, as I do, and wilt advise me how to deal with her (186). Hester describes her unbalanced feelings and emotions to Dimmesdale. This avowal shows that although Pearls quirks and oddities cause her to become strange in the eyeball of others, they form into a love from Hester. This relationship between 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 backwardness to be familiar with me.