What Pearl Means in the Scarlet Letter - 891 Words

In The Scarlet Letter, Pearl is often regarded as a symbol to that of the suffering of Hester Prynne and the shamed Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale but Pearls significance is more than just symbolizing the sin committed by her parents. She in many ways represents the innocence that the puritan belief is regressing itself to have. Hawthorne constructs Pearl as an evolving symbol for Hester and Dimmsdale and her progression as a character is shown through that of the actions set forth by these characters. Since the inception of the act of adultery by Hester and Dimmesdale, Pearl is developed by sin but she is not conformed to sin and as a result symbolizing a release of sin. She is essentially the road from childhood to adulthood, innocence to innocence lost to finally understanding and accepting the card that we are all delved with and that’s life after sin. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the fictional story of Hester Prynne and her public humiliation as she is forced to wear the letter A on her chest due to her having a child with someone else other than her husband. The scarlet letter â€Å"A† stands for many things in the book but the initial meaning is that of adultery. The baby is Pearl and the name itself is given to her because she is worth so much to Prynne as in â€Å"her mother’s only treasure!† The beginning of the story sets the stage to what Prynne and Pearl will go through this tale, setting up the state of puritan utopia and why Prynne holds Pearl so close to her. The scarletShow MoreRelatedABy Major Characters In The Scarlet Letter1202 Words   |  5 PagesCharacters in The Scarlet Letter People have different cultures and experiences throughout their lives; therefore, they all have different perspectives of the same object. Various authors use different perspectives of people to make objects mean different based on how people approach it. Not only the readers see the object in different ways, but also the characters in the story. The Scarlet Letter uses various symbolism such as ‘A , rosebush, the forest and more which might mean different to eachRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1700 Words   |  7 Pagesknow what they say is either right or wrong. Children differ from adults in their potential for expressing these perceptions because they are not afraid to say or express anything but the truth. The children in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, are presented as more perceptive and honest than adults due to their actions of perceiving Hester’s scarlet letter, expressing their opinions without knowing if it is rig ht or wrong, and their willingness to ask questions. In the Scarlet LetterRead More A Character Analysis of Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter1494 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Word Count Includes Outline at the End of the Paper The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a book of much symbolism. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Throughout the novel Pearl develops into a dynamic symbol; one that is always changing. In the following essay, I will explore Hawthornes symbolism of Pearl from birthRead MorePearl In The Scarlet Letter1233 Words   |  5 PagesEngland. His most famous story is the Scarlet Letter. This novel tells of the punishment of a woman, Hester Prynne, who committed adultery and gave birth to Pearl. A minister of Boston, Arthur Dimmesdale, had an affair with Hester while believing that her husband, Roger Chillingworth, had died. However, Chillingworth did not die and appears during the early stages of Hester s punishment. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the character of Pearl in the Scarlet Letter. Her whole life had many difficultiesRead MoreThe Theme Of Guilt In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1668 Words   |  7 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne is the author of The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne is a anti-transcendentalist which means he writes a lot about Puritans in the 1600’s. John Hathorne ( Nathaniel H. great uncle ) is also an anti-transcendentalist . The book that John wrote that goes with The Scarlet Letter is The Ministers Black Veil. It as well as this novel talks about Secret sin and how the world is good and people are dark and mysterious. Nathaniels book The Scarlet Letter talks about Secret Sin , Revenge ,Read MoreHunter Rittle. Mrs. Voshell . Honors English 10 . 6 January1045 Words   |  5 PagesHonors English 10 6 January 2016 Pearl as a Symbol Throughout the Scarlet Letter In the novel, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, a woman named Hester Prynne commits a sin. She commits the sin of adultery which results in the birth of her daughter Pearl. Hester now has to wear a scarlet letter on her chest for the rest of her life. Unbeknownst to everyone else except Hester, Dimmesdale, is the father of Pearl. Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingworth, now seeks revenge for what Hester has done to him. He learnsRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1389 Words   |  6 PagesIf we look at the setting in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, it is a 1600s puritan settlement in New England. This particular place is the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where, as depicted in The Scarlet Letter, is bound by the strict rules of the Puritans. We can see that internal struggle is planted in people’s minds because of their punishment, and specifically, Hester Prynne. We can see that Hester’s punishment, however, has helped her internally to bec ome a better, independant personRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1517 Words   |  7 PagesHawthorne composes Pearl as a powerful character even though she is not the main one. Her actions not only represent what she is as a person, but what other characters are and what their actions are. Hawthorne makes Pearl the character that helps readers understand what the other characters are. She fits perfectly into every scene she is mentioned in because of the way her identity and personality is. Pearl grows throughout the book, which in the end, help the readers better understand what the significanceRead MoreEvil is In the Eyes of the Beholder: The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne1611 Words   |  7 Pagesthought to be good or bad. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl is evil. Pearl is doomed from the beginning to be evil. â€Å"In giving her existence, a great law [is] broken.† (80) Pearl’s evilness is ultimately credited from her roots. Hester’s sin caused Pearl to be corrupt even before she was born. As a punishment to her mother, Pearl has to be spiteful. The letter was not a good enough punishment for Hester, and if Pearl is a perfect child than Hester’s punishmentRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter 1654 Words   |  7 PagesConformation Paragraphs Erika Bloes 11 / 19 / 15 Mr. Keating Block 6 Throughout, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter,† Hawthorne is able to enhance the plot by intricately incorporating symbols which represent a deeper meaning. One of which, is the infamous, and ambiguous, scarlet letter that lays upon the bosom of Hester Prynne. In the beginning of the book, the audience is immediately introduced to the scarlet letter as a symbol of shame and adultery. The narrator describes the Puritan society as very judgemental