Travis Rogers Mrs. Marlaire ASIELA per 4 5 November 2012
The Impact of the Pearl In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character, Hester’s, little girl, Pearl, has a large impact on the plot and her mother throughout the first 10 chapters. Through the most obvious method, Pearl represents shame that Hester is forced to bear because she is the illegal love child of Hester and a currently unknown man. Her name is even derived from the punishment that Pearl causes Hester to endure; as a valuable object pearls cost a great deal of money, and although Hester did not pay for Pearl, per say, her daughter cost Hester her normal life in their structured society. Now both Pearl and Hester are shunned or ridiculed by everyone else because of their new reputation as an adulterer and an extra sinful child. As Pearl grows up she is seen by almost everyone as not-human; this partially spawns from the structured religious values of puritan society that all children are evil when they are born with the concept of the original sin combined with her unacceptable birth, but this assumption is also due to her behavior as a young and mischievous child. Throughout chapter 6 and while Hester talks to Dimmesdale about her custody, Pearl is described as several mythical creatures such as; an imp, pixie, witch, and sprite, which all can possess positive characteristics but imply a dark ulterior motive or sinister personality. Not yet knowledgeable of how puritan society is ran, because of her self-isolation from any other children, Pearl acts as a relatable character to the reader through her reactions to the abnormally structured puritan beliefs that surround her, like the audience would.
It is also important to note that the name "Pearl" is a Biblical reference: "When he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (KJV). Like you mentioned, Hester gave all that she had by committing adultery with Rev. Dimmesdale -- her lifestyle, her marriage, image, and reputation -- and in turn she gained her little Pearl. In a way, Pearl is less human, and more of a symbol to Hester, who brings her joy, but the constant, burning reminder of the consequences of her rash actions -- a living Scarlet Letter. Do you think that Pearl will ever be seen as a human by the other Puritans, or even by her own mother, who consistently asks, "Is that my [child]?" I think that as long as the Letter is on Hester's chest, Pearl will be the physical embodiment of that punishment.
Great job Travis! I really enjoyed your connection of Pearl’s name to her effect on Hester in the strict Puritan society. I also like how you drew analysis from the Puritan’s image of Pearl as an evil baby. While the concept of original sin is evident in the society, the adultery committed by Hester adds to Pearl’s satanic image. Hawthorne’s description of the girl as “a born outcast of the infantile world” (85) furthers this concept and reveals her distance from the Puritan religion and society. Furthermore, I truly enjoyed your analysis on Pearl’s relatable nature, as an outsider, observing the beliefs of the Puritan community.
Great analysis! I like how you point out that Hester Prynne's daughter, Pearl had an impact on both the plot and her mother, since this is true. Pearl changes her own mother's life in that she is being judge all the time because people found out that Hester Prynne had committed adultery since it was obvious that Hester Prynne wasn't able to keep her pregnancy a secret. I also really like how you analyzed the allusions that are made to her; imp,pixie,etc. Another thing I agree with you on how you said that Pearls are treasure that cost a lot of money , but since Hester didn't pay anything for Pearl, she must deal with everyday struggles.
Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Pearl plays a key role in developing the plot. In her case, her inquisitive nature helps to develop not only her mother, but much of the plot.
Throughout much of the story, Pearl seems to be very in tune with important symbols, the most prevalent being her mother's scarlet letter. In Chapter 6, Pearl first notices the symbol on her mother's breast and begins to “[fling handfuls of wildflowers] at her mother's bosom, dancing up and down...whenever she hit the scarlet letter” (Hawthorne 82). This symbolizes the deep bond that she has with her mom, but also serves as a constant reminder that they are indeed different. Because of Hester's affair, they are both treated as outcasts in Puritan society, causing them to give each other mutual support. Hester calls her a Pearl because she is the only think she has left; all else has been stripped away by the patriarchal society they live in. Hester views Pearl as having “faultless beauty” and sees her “perfect shape...vigor, and...natural dexterity,” demonstrating the immense love she has for her (Hawthorne 89). Pearl is not very significant as just a character aside from the fact that she gives her mother comfort. Her real purpose in the text is that she can also cause anguish for Hester, by reminding her that she is an adulterer and thus not fit for Puritan society. Her fixation on the emblem, along with the fact that she is a living example of Hester's immoral deed, cause Hester to feel even more sorrow than she would have normally. Because of the effect Pearl has on her mom, she affects the plot by causing her to have conflicting emotions, making it harder for Hester to reconcile with herself and move on. On one hand she provides comfort in times of trouble, but on the other hand she serves as a constant reminder of her sinful actions.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York, New York: Random House, 2003. Print.
This is a very good analysis on Pearl's role in Hester's life. Pearl plays a major part in Hester's life because, as you said, she creates a greater feel of guilt within Hester's emotions and "serves as a constant reminder of her sinful actions"(Van Voorhis). Hester also recalls naming her daughter "Pearl" because of the great price she had to pay in giving birth to such an individual beauty, who in a way, reflects her own fiery attitude towards society and has led to society's hatred towards her. Pearl is also portrayed as an outcast, and this is all because of Hester's great sin as an adulterer. Although Pearl soon learns of Hester's Scarlet Letter, she still attempts to console and provide comfort to her mother regardless of this.
This is very insightful Peter!I noticed a lot of symbols in the book and they all seem to tie back into Pearl's position. She's considered the physical representation of her mother's sin, and she's the epitome of sin and the spawn of satan. Like we had discussed in class, the name Pearl is Hester's attempt to make her daughter seem innocent and pure unlike how the rest of society perceives her. She is mocking how society branded them and now the name Pearl can effectively parallel her personality.
Good job Peter... I like your analysis on Pearl's role developing the plot. I also agree with you that Pearl greatly impacts the plot, she is a symbol of sin and adultery in the sense that she leads Dimmesdale and Hester to their confession and the acceptance of their sins. Since she is wise beyond her years, she frequently engages in ironic play having to do with her mother’s scarlet letter; she is the only living symbol of the scarlet letter, “causing her to have conflicting emotions, making it harder for Hester to reconcile with herself and move on” (Van Voorhis.)
Brody Smith Mrs. Marlaire ASIELA per 6 5 November 2012 Question 4 Response: In the first 10 chapters of The Scarlet Letter, the character who has the biggest impact regarding the plot is Hester’s, the main character, child: Pearl. Pearl’s main influence upon the plot revolves around her influence over her mother’s feelings and actions. Hester views Pearl with a complex set of contradicting emotions; love, fear, and as a physical embodiment of her shame. Her love for Pearl is expressed as her choice of the name “Pearl” is explained with the view of Pearl as being “her…only treasure”(81). The name “Pearl” symbolizes Hester’s view of her child as coming at a great cost, but also being of great value. Contrasting with the love Hester has for Pearl is the fear that Pearl is somehow corrupted due to the circumstances of her birth. This comes to view through the characterization of Pearl as being otherworldly in her nature, revealing Hester’s mixed outlook on her former fate as she denounces the “Heavenly Father” herself, and yet still attempts to teach Pearl about the Puritan religion. This gives the reader the insight that Hester believes herself already damned, but still yearns for her child’s purity. The description of Pearl also reveals Hester’s own belief that she deserved to be punished for her crime of adultery. Hester uses her skill at needlework to turn Pearl into a reflection of the scarlet letter upon her breast, a source of constant agony to her. Thus, Pearl impacts the plot significantly as she functions as an expression of Hester’s own feelings regarding her source of shame. A deeper insight into Hester personality is found through the characterization of Pearl, and the influence this characterization has on Hester.
Nice! I definitely agree with your points here and how Pearl is unable to be independent or decide her own fate or even create her own identity because Hester has already decided for her and now Pearl doesn't not have the ability of a fresh start when she is born like a normal person would. Also I think the actual name "Pearl" might refer to something that someone values because it's rare and valuable and Hester's daughter is exactly that. She is someone Hester holds on to and she is also Hester's only real treasure and source of company that keeps Hester still on the right path and forcing her to be a better Puritan.
I definitely agree with with your arguement that Pearl has become a physical representation of Hester's sin; however, she also has a great impact on Hester's happiness. Pearl has given Hester a reson to love in a life of isolation from society. This love for Pearl is expressed in the choice for her name, referring to her daughter as her "mother's treasure". I also agree that Hester's affection for her daughter is also seen through her concern that her daughter might be "corrupted" by her mother's actions. Hester's emotions present a mixed feeling of love for Pearl, along with the fear of what will happen to her in the future.
Great job! This was a really good character to analyze because if it weren’t for Pearl, Hester wouldn’t be in such deep trouble. Almost everyone in Hester’s society views Pearl as a horrible reflection of Hester’s mistake, someone who deserves a better mother, and some even think she’s a demon. But as you pointed out, Hester looks at Pearl as someone that she can raise to not make all the mistakes she has. I think of it as essentially her redoing her life through someone else. However, in my opinion I think she dresses Pearl in red to show the community that she’s proud of what she has made even though it was a big mistake, and she will not let the scarlet A which she has to wear capture her life.
I totally agree with you Brody! Pearl is a very significant character to the story overall, and she is also especially important in the reflection of Hester’s feelings as you have pointed out. Pearl was “purchased with all [Hester] had”, for she was the result and evidence of the adultery that Hester has been punished for (Hawthorne 81). This literal embodiment of the price Hester is paying for her sin makes Pearl, to a certain degree, a symbol of Hester’s feelings and guilt for this act Hester has committed. Therefore Pearl, as you said, gives readers a “deeper insight into Hester[‘s] personality” and greatly influences Hester’s characterization throughout the novel.
I 100% agree with what you said! Hester's only thing that she got out of committing adultery was in fact Pearl. Through out Chapters 1-10 she continuously fights over the rightful custody and the ability to raise her child because the Puritan society believes that she is an unfit mother because of her sin and that the baby is also sinful because she is the result of the action. Pearl also allows the reader to really delve deep into Hester's internal personality by bring out her softer side because Pearl is all that she loves. This leads to Hester changing her ways and trying to clear her name from evil for the sake of her daughter.
Sara Wynia Mrs. Marlaire AP Lit P.6 5 November 2012
Pearl defiantly appears as a important role in the main plot of The Scarlet Letter. Pearl falls under the category of a flat character portrayed by her youth and inability to express much growth and change at this point in the story. This small and little young lady would be seen as a weak character but her strength and expressiveness as a young girl in this society proves the opposite. "Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world" which puts her at a very vulnerable place in society(pg 85). Outside views of her believe she should not be with Hester for within the Puritan beliefs this does not seem appropriate for what Hester has done to this society. Due to Pearls strong personality she causes a great amount of troubles for Hester. Hester already has to deal with so many troubles in life due to her "sin" she committed, and having to deal with a child like this adds so much stress to her life. But what Hester has done to Pearls life evens out to a sense that the rest of Pearls life is going to give her a large amount of strain with the idea of never being able to grow up as a "normal" child.
The disgrace and shunning of sin that her mother, Hester Prynne, has committed and received also automatically falls upon her. I think that because of this, I agree that she will never be able to grow up as a normal child. As she is the only thing Hester lives for I believe she shapes the plot because of how the POV has bias for Hester more than other characters. D you think that it also shapes how Rev. Dimmsdale will act throughout the story? Many of us can infer that he is the father of pearl and thus the second sinner of adultery.
I agree with both of you, especially on the many different aspects and conditions of Pearl’s life that prohibit her from having any chance of growing up to be a normal child. Another thing that prohibits this is the fact that Pearl has been born an outcast because of her mother’s wrongs, which gives her no chance at being accepted into society and making any sort of acquaintances, other than that of her mother. The loneliness takes a large toll on Pearl since she ends up making imaginary enemies, not friends, and acts the same way to actual human children as she does to the nature she affiliates herself with.
I agree completely with your ideas. Yes, Pearl will never have a normal childhood. Pearl is a very important aspect in Hester’s life because she is the only reason for Hester wanting to live. Pearl is also an important factor to Hawthorne’s omniscient point of view; he is biased towards Pearl and Hester through the story. I also feel Pearls characteristic will challenge Reverend Dimmsdales character and his views. There is also an unknown connection between the reverend and Pearl, the readers can assume that Reverend Dimmsdale his Pearls father. She will also challenge the puritan religion, and also her being alive and the way she was created is questioning or challenging the community’s beliefs.
I agree. Pearl will always be affected by Hester's actions . The rest of the community sees her as an outcast -- the product of her mother's sin, born "out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion"(81). She is the living representation of the scarlet letter ("the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life"[93]), and is a constant reminder to Hester of her sin; however, she is "her mother's only treasure"(81) and gives her strength despite the Puritans' criticism and judgement.
Morgan Simmons Mrs. Marlaire ASIELA per 4 5 November 2012 In Nathaniel Hawthorn’s novel The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne’s daughter, Pearl, has an immense impact on Hester as well as the plot. Pearl herself brings grief and agony to Hester’s life since she is the embodiment of Hester’s sin and is a constant reminder of the shame her actions have brought on to both her and her child. Though Hester depicts her daughter as her treasure, Hawthorne reveals that “these thoughts affected Hester Prynne less with hope than rejected by society. Pearl lacks a set of morals and values which also isolates her in a highly apprehension,” (pg. 82). Because Pearl is the result of the immoral actions of Hester, she is Puritan society, where religious guidelines are firm and abided by with no inquisition or doubt. This unbiased nature of Pearl despite society’s attempt to mold her views demonstrates characteristics of an American Romantic hero. Pearl is also significant because she signifies the Puritan belief that nature is evil, demonstrating how Pearl both represents and contradicts the base of Puritan society. Pearl’s complex character is also reflected as she is depicted as mischievous, fairytale figures, as Hawthorne says she would “smile with sprite-like intelligence, and resume her play,” (pg. 88). Though she appears beautiful and innocent, she has an underlying evil, making her a round character in the story. This also depicts Pearl’s power she has over other people, such as the calming sensation she brings to a room full of people. This insinuation toward a kind of supernatural influence illustrates the American Romantic influence Pearl brings to the Puritan society, further isolating her from the general public. Pearl is a crucial character not only because of the struggle she puts Hester through, but because she mirrors the intense Puritan and American Romantic influence in society.
You make a great point when explaining how Pearl's character represents the unfaithful sin committed by her mother. Therefore, throughout the town she is seen as a demon-born child who basically knows no limits within society. I also enjoy how you added how her mischievous attitude makes her seem like an evil entity. However, she somehow has this weird connection to Dimmsdale suggesting that he is her father, and she depicts Chillingworth as the "Black Man" who knows about everyone in town, while acting very innocent (Hawthorne 122). Pearl is basically seen as someone who not only mirrors the opposite of Puritan influence, but also the characterization of her own mother.
I agree that Pearl represents Hester’s sin and because of that, is brings pain to Hester knowing her sin has an affect on Pearl’s life socially. I also love the point you make about Pearl both representing and contradicting Puritan society because she is an outcast based on the unfaithful sin her mother committed. Your description of Pearl, saying she is mischievous but innocent makes her seem similar to Hester. This inner evil inside of Pearl creates even more isolation from society just as her mother had. I think you did a really good job characterizing Pearl and expressing the impact her character makes on the plot as a whole.
Kate Wensley Mrs. Marlaire ASIELA per 4 6 November 2012 In the novel, The Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the daughter of Hester Prynne greatly impacts the overall plot along with individual characters. Pearl is a complex character who furthermore is a living symbol of the scarlet letter Hester wears. Hawthorne describes her as a scarlet vision through her statement, "'I am mother's child,' answered the scarlet vision, ‘and my name is Pearl!'"(pg. 100) Not only is she a symbol for her mother's mistakes, but she is a constant reminder of her sins. Pearl is a result of a sin yet; her overwhelming innocence and such beauty go against her negative connotation to society. She seems to have magical powers and the ability to calm a room of people. She will never be able to be a “normal child” due to her mother’s action. She was "a born outcast of the infantile world." (pg. 85) Along with her conflicting symbol of her mother’s commitment of sin and also beauty and calm elements, she also highlights traditional ideas of Puritan society and American Romanticism. The supernatural inferences are beliefs of American Romanticism. Her annexation from society, due to her mother, comes from traditional Puritan beliefs. Overall Pearl’s influence upon the story derives from her mother’s sin and beliefs of Puritanism and American Romanticism.
I like the connection you’ve drawn between Pearl and American Romanticism. The town’s disapproval of Pearl reflects the contrasting views of Puritans and Romantics. Considering Pearl’s naturalistic manner and the way she seems almost magical, it is no wonder she is viewed with alarm by the Puritans, because naturalism and magic are concepts associated with Paganism, or as Puritans would call it, witchcraft. Like Romanticism, Pearl is someone who hearkens back to attitudes that were the norm before the rise of traditional western society. But unlike American Romantics, Pearl has been shielded from western societal pressure by her mother, and thus Pearl is, according to Hawthorne’s view, a person in their most pure and natural form.
If I were to respond to this question, the character I would choose (is similar to your character) is Pearl. Pearl is now holding the weight of her mother’s sin and unfortunately owns the embarrassment and shame of Hester’s adultery. I agree with your statement that Pearl is “a living symbol of the scarlet letter” and a constant reminder to Hester of her sins. “'I am mother's child” very much supports the previous claim and is a direct emphasis on the plot. I like your reference to American Romanticism regarding the ideas of a Puritan society because Pearl is shunned by society due to her relationship with Hester. This annexation (your words) is a complete connection describing the beliefs of a puritan society.
Good point Kate! I definitely agree with you that Pearl plays an immense role in this story since she is the daughter of the sinned mother, Hester Prynne. I like what you said about how Pearl is not only a symbol for Hester’s mistakes, but she is also a memory for Hester. It is important for the reader to note that and analyze what that will affect in the next coming chapters. It will be interesting to see the affects it has on Hester. I liked how you described Pearl and her qualities that affect the people around her and how you tied it back to the question. Great job!
Kaitlyn Schwend Mrs. Marlaire AP Lit/per 4 11/6/12 Pearl In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl, Hester’s daughter, is a very round character with a lot of impact. Pearl is an infant “worthy to [be] brought forth in Eden,” (Hawthorne p.82) she is “so magnificent” (p.82) in beauty that her mother “could not help questioning…weather Pearl [is] a human child.”(p.84) Pastor John Wilson shares that mind set when asking “[a]rt thou a Christian child… or art thou one of those naughty elfs or fairies,” questioning how the child is being raised, Puritan or non religious (believing in science and mystical creatures.) (p.100) If Pearl hadn’t been conceived would her mother be in the same predicament? Pearl is the embodiment of the scarlet letter. She is her mother’s “happiness” and “torture” and is “so endowed with… the power of retribution for [her mother’s] sin.” (p.103) The fact that pearl is “the likeness of the scarlet letter,” means she is subjected to the same treatment as her mother, the one who owns the actual letter. (p.93) They are both out casted and look down upon because of the sin Hester committed in conceiving Pearl. “The children of the Puritans” suggest to each other to “fling mud at them,” in the children’s opinion, based on their Puritan faith, Hester and Pearl are already dirty because of Hester’s sin. (p.93) Pearl did not like the Puritan children who treated her in this way, she “stamp[ed] her foot… and suddenly made a rush…shouting and screaming.” (p.93) The children ran away from her as if she were an “angel of judgment-whose mission was to punish…sin.” (p.93) The children fear her, she is different from them, because she isn’t forced to follow the Puritan religion and has more of a freedom than all of them because she is not confined to the strict structure of the religion.
Work Cited Nathaniel, Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. New York. Bantam Book. 1850. Print
I agree with everything you said here. Your commentary, "They are both out casted and look[ed] down upon because of the sin Hester committed in conceiving Pearl.”, embodies, sadly, the truth behind why Pearl is treated the way the way she is by the townspeople. Do you agree with treating Pearl like this because she was conceived by sin? Should she be out casted because her mom committed adultery? Is it her fault? This commentary would be great if we had an essay to write on how puritan beliefs affected Hester and Pearl because we would have a lot of evidence to provide in order to prove it.
One thing I might be more specific on would be how she affected the plot of Hawthorn’s story.
I completely agree with you. Pearl is the product of Hester. Whatever Hester goes through Pearl will automatically go through as well. I like how you said “If pearl hadn’t been conceived would her mother still be in the same predicament?” It really shows how pearl is the scarlet letter, she is part of the cause of how they are mistreated. Children are intimidated by her, because of the lack of puritan beliefs and the representation of the scarlet letter. You did a very good job explaining Pearls effect on the plot and I now understand her character a lot more.
Jeffrey Roberts Marlaire ASIELA Period 4 28 Sep. 2012 The Impact of the Devil In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Roger Chillingworth is constantly manipulating not only Hester, but all of the town’s people. From his very first appearances in Boston, he begins to use the residents to get what he wants. In chapter 4, Chillingworth leads the jailer to believe that he is “a man of skill in all Christian modes of physical science,” even though he has only been in Boston for a few days, allowing him to gain access to Hester (Hawthorne 65). This is also very ironic because Chillingworth constantly represents evil characteristics. He promises to get his revenge on whoever Hester’s lover is, and forces her to keep his identity secret. He also torments her by saying “alone with thy infant, and the scarlet letter! How is it Hester? [ ] Are thou not afraid of nightmares and hideous dreams?” which causes Hester to portray him as the “Black Man” (Hawthorne 71-72). This perspective is at first unique to Hester, but then, as Chillingworth began to develop “a new [dark] purpose [ ] of force enough to engage at the full strength of his faculties,” others began to question his true motives (Hawthorne 108). Because he was the only doctor with modern practices, he was able to manipulate those in need of medical assistance in order to get what he wants. He becomes attached to Dimmesdale’s side like a leech, and like a leech, he begins to try to suck out answers. He persistently questions Dimmesdale, especially about Hester, which causes growing suspicion, and by the end of Chapter 9, most of the community believed that Dimmesdale was “haunted by Satan himself [ ] in the guise of Chillingworth” (Hawthorne 116). Therefore, by the end of the first 10 chapters, Chillingworth had haunted both Hester and Dimmesdale personally by his appearance, but also the rest of the town by constantly distributing evil characteristics.
Works Cited Nathaniel, Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. New York. Bantam Book. 1850. Print
Great point! I see how you were able to incorporate the devil into being Chillingworth as he "leeched" the information from the towns people. Also I totally agree with you on how he was able to manipulate the townspeople's trust, portraying himself as the knowledgeable and responsible physician, when in reality he was only putting on this disguise of being "Roger Chillingworth", as a way to gain the information he needed to punish the man who had an affair with his wife. You may also want to note that although he did affect Hester emotionally he was never planning on seeking revenge on her physically. He felt as the dominant member in the Patriarchal hierarchy, it was his job to punish the other man, due to the fact that at the time, the Puritan Era, women were considered weak and unknowledgeable.
Great ideas, I agree how Chillingworth is a “Leech” because he is sucking the life out of Reverend Dimmesdale hoping to get his secrets out so that he could destroy the honored reputation of Dimmesdale. Also I agree with how he can be interpreted as Satan because he causing suffering to many people that he is involved with, “But what distinguished the physcian’s estacy from Satan’s was the trait of wonder in it”(Harthorne 126), that shows he gains pleasure out of others pain. It ironic because he is a physician who is supposed to make people feel better physically, but is making them worse internally.
I also agree on how Chillingworth resembles the devil, with his power of manipulation to get the information and essentials he needs to get what he wants, which is revenge and evil motive. This can also be another reason for being called a “leech” . Also with his science background he is more knowledgeable in what the people their need, giving him more power to feast of the weak.
Great observance! Another quote that backs up your comparison of Chillingworth to the Devil is on page 122: Hester and Pearl are passing the house that Chillingworth and Dimmesdale share, and Pearl says, "Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already." This could be interpreted in many ways, one of them being that Pearl has a supernatural sense that Dimmesdale is her father, because, somehow, she knows that he has sinned. But I don't think it's any coincidence that Chillingworth was with Dimmesdale -- by this point the readers already are aware of Chillingworth's negative manipulation of/intent with the reverend -- sitting at the window, "old," and as you described, dark in his nature.
Hawthorne’s characterization of Reverend Dimmesdale as a round, Byronic hero serves to exemplify the conflict between Puritanism and Romanticism in the plot. The Byronic hero is typically a self-destructive being, haunted by a secret ("American Renaissance & American Romanticism: The Byronic Hero”), much a Dimmesdale is “meddle[d] with a question of human guilt, passion, and anguish (Hawthorne 61). His love of people, particularly his inferred lover Hester and child Pearl, is what creates a three-dimensional persona for Dimmesdale. He is a prominent Puritan figure in society, whose “eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession” (Hawthorne 62). Though he preaches the basic belief in the Covenant of Grace, he punishes himself by becoming ill with secreted guilt. In public, Dimmesdale urges Hester to reveal the adulterer’s identity to save from “add[ing] hypocrisy to sin” (Hawthorne 63), yet, ironically, he lets his secret make him sick. It is clear that he is not simply a flat character because of his dynamic involvement in Hester’s eternal damnation. Dimmesdale would go against his religious values in order to save face, let Hester take the public blame, and personally deal with the remorse; of course, such decision cause him great suffering. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne contrasts the Puritan nature of his fictional society with his own romantic views and uses Dimmesdale as a symbol of such internal conflict. Much like the speaker, Dimmesdale was raised in a strictly Puritan environment but goes against his upbringing by displaying individualistic ideals. His dark nature and multifaceted reasoning make him a Byronic hero that embodies the plotted discrepancy between Puritan and Romantic dogmas.
Works Cited
"American Renaissance & American Romanticism: The Byronic Hero." University of Houston-Clear Lake. University of Houston. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. .
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1986. Print.
That is very interesting insight! Hawthorne uses Reverend Dimmesdale as an embodiment of the opposing views of Puritanism and the Romanticism he employs. His sickness is further evidence of the conflicts between the two ideas and the role they play within the story.
I'm so glad you chose someone else besides Pearl that effects the plot! I liked how you chose the topic of Byronic hero to talk about his influence on the story, being the reverend that should look down upon the sinner but instead is connected to her and feels for her welfare. He exclaims, "be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him... Though he [might have] to step down from a high place... Yet better it were so...", demonstrating sympathy and want to reveal himself as the contributor to the crime besides Hester, revealing his failure as a "hero". This point enriches the plot, adding suspense to foreshadowing events due to the reverend's daring motives to bring forth a detremental issue for the community. Also, it does make sense that Hawthorne utilizes the dark romanticism he does throughout the relationship between Hester and Dimmesdale for that was his personality as a writer. Great analysis overall and good use of Puritan ideology.
Reverend Dimmesdale with his conflicting situation as a sinner as well as the reverend of Puritanism confirms his status as a round character. As Pearl's father he feels the need to fulfill that role but by doing so, he is supporting the very sinner that his priest side is out to condemn. Your bringing up of Puritanism and Romantic values clashing adds depth to the plot as it symbolizes how hypocritical society can be. Dimmesdale is a leader of Puritanism yet by sinning he goes against the very values he preaches. This hypocrisy makes it seem like the society that Hester lives in is as much to blame as Hester.
Okay, first off I’d like to say that I like how you connected Puritanism and Romanticism with Dimmesdale and how you said that he was basically a personification of the two contrasting ideals fighting with each other. And this goes with something I had said on another post, that the church was being quite hypocritical in the sense that they were trying to control people to make them good, but in the end the church does even more evil to the people who have committed sin than the amount of evil the sinners had caused themselves. With Dimmesdale, I think that his character really points out this hypocrisy in the Church and in the plot as you have here. He has “added hypocrisy to sin” (Hawthorne 63).
Jami Rund Marlaire AP Literature Period 6 06 November 2012
Throughout the first 10 chapters of the Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl, Hester Prynne’s daughter, has a significant impact of Hester as well as the entire plot of the novel. Pearl serves as a physical symbol of her mother’s sins and is negatively viewed due to her mother’s mistakes. While Hester does have great love towards her child, as she describes her as her “happiness”, however she also is Hester’s “torture” (pg.103) The youth, and innocence of Pearl is described in the beginning of the novel, as Hester and the newborn exit the jail, as she “turned aside [her] little face from the too vivid light of day” mostly because she had been “acquainted only with the gray twilight of a dungeon.” (pg.50) Pearl is being described as almost a scapegoat, suffering in place for her mother’s sins. Pearl is being brought up into a world, more importantly, a Puritan community, where she is already been judged for a sin she did not commit. Pearl is described as a “sin-born infant” (pg. 59), for she was conceived in sin, and will forever serve as a physical symbol of the sin Hester Prynne committed. Although Hester has to wear the A on her bosom, as a consequence, she also has Pearl there as a constant reminder and the main reason Hester feels guilt for the committing adultery.
Works Cited Nathaniel, Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. New York. Bantam Book. 1850. Print
I agree with you. Another interesting way that Pearl affects the plot of the story is that she seems to be influencing Hester’s actions and viewpoints. She is helping Hester follow a more pure path and not participate in evil events. In Chapter 8, Hester declines an opportunity to participate in witchcraft because she needs to “keep watch over [her] little Pearl” (Hawthorne 59). This “[is] already illustration of the young minister’s argument against sundering the relation of a fallen mother to the offspring of her frailty.”(59). Pearl has essentially “saved [Hester] from Satan’s snare” which is ironic because she is looked at as a demonic child born out of an evil relationship, yet she is helping her mother not succumb to evil desires(59).
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1986. Print.
I completely agree! Pearl is the product of Hester’s sins, and will therefore serve as constant reminder of Hester’s wrong doings and identity as an outsider in Puritan society. Hester recognizes that Pearl was made by her “evil” deeds and therefore “looked fearfully into the child’s expanding nature, ever dreading to detect some dark and wild peculiarity, that should correspond to the guiltiness to which she owed her being.” Hester, though loving of Pearl, lived in constant fear that Pearl might be the “devil’s child.” Furthermore, Pearl’s presence amplifies Reverend Dimmesdale’s guilt over not only the sin he committed years ago but also of the sin of not taking responsibility for past sins.
This is well-written! Also, Pearl and Hester have a great bond between the two, that no one could break, not even Governor Bellingham because Hester feels that her daughter's strange behavior is somehow associated with Pearl's conception and birth. Even though Pearl understands the scarlet letter she still has respect for her mother. i agree that Pearl functions as a reminder of Hester's passion. Hester realizes this in the first few moments when she resists to hold Pearl in front of the scarlet "A", "wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another." (Hawthorne 50)
Thomas Sarjeant Marlaire AP Lit/Period 6 6 November, 2012
The character that proves to have the biggest impact on the plot of the story so far is Hester's daughter, Pearl. As seen as a "product of sin" (pg 85) by the towns people, Pearl begins her life as an outcast and truly as no chance of changing this based on Hester's poor decisions in her past. Although Pearl is perceived as young and weak, she does have a low tolerance level for any of the towns people which she shows when she beats up the towns people for heckling her and her mother. Yes, Pearl does love Hester very much and wants to stay with her but the people within the town disagree. The people of the town believe they should not live or be together because both of their evil ways go completely against Puritanic believes and morals. With that being the case, Pearl creates an even more difficult place for Hester to be in. Now Hester does not only have to worry about the burden of the Scarlet Letter, but she most now go through the trouble of keeping Pearl with her, which in this town is going to be her biggest challenge. Hester has to deal with all the hardships that Pearl brings to her, but she is willing to do this because of her love for Pearl and her acceptance that the reason she is in this position is because of herself.
I completely agree with you Thomas. Pearl is a very critical character in the story. I like how you pointed out Pearl's predestination as a social outcast as a result of Hester Prynne's adultery. Yet her character is fitting because her personality would not have conformed well with Puritan ideals anyways; her outspokenness and wildness clash with the normal female expectations in Puritan society. I also liked that you mentioned Pearl causing conflict in the story regarding her custody, showing that she plays a controversial role in the story. Yet, like you said, Hester is willing to fight for Pearl for love and possibly to even take full responsibility for creating a child out of sin.
I agree. However, one interesting detail is that not everyone in the town disagrees with Hester and Pearl staying together. Reverend Dimmesdale, in chapter 8, protects Hester's right to keep Pearl, and believes that the child "hath come from the hand of God, to work in many ways upon her heart" (Hawthorne 104). He also shows a intimate connection with Pearl when he "laid his hand on the child's head...and then kissed her brow" (106). Hester, witnessing this, "asked herself, - 'Is this my Pearl?'" (105), obviously surprised by Pearl's actions towards the Reverend. Also, I find it interesting that Hester doesn't blame the Reverend in any noticeable way for her punishment in Pearl.
I agree with you, for Pearl overall is the main “consequence” of Hester’s “sin” and from the very beginning of her existence she becomes an outcast. Despite being an outcast from the beginning it seems that it fits her for her character goes against the ideals of Puritan society. Even as a small girl she states that God was not the one who brought her into this world showing that she lacks faith in God something that contrasts the puritan Belief. In the puritan society Puritans have to have faith and believe that they are in this world due to gods will. And although she is a “consequence” of Hester’s “sin” she is willing to take care of her and not all the people of the town believe that she should not keep Pearl though. Dimmesdale protects Hester and Pearl and tells the governor that Hester is worthy of carrying for Pearl so not everybody is against Hester carrying for Pearl.
Savannah Vader Marlaire AP Lit. Period 4 11/6/12 In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester's daughter, Pearl, has a great impact on the story's plot and Hester herself. Hester refers to Pearl as her "only treasure" (pg.81), because Pearl is now the only one she can confide in and have there with her. In a sense, Pearl is Hester's only form of happiness, but she is also her reason for sorrow as well. Pearl also represents the sin that Hester committed and is a constant reminder of her wrongdoing. Pearl is referred to as a "product of sin"(pg. 85) because she was the product of her mother's sin of adultery. Even children among their society noticed the difference between Pearl and the others and thought she "had no right among christened infants"(pg. 85) because they thought that Pearl would some how corrupt their children or have an affect on them.
I agree with you. Pearl is Hester's "only treasure" in life, but at the same time she was born through sin which brings Hester shame. She loves her daughter but will always associate her as a product of degeneracy. This makes Pearl irritable, hostile,and inconsolable. Everyone, including Pearl, herself views Pearl as the incarnation of sin.
Travis Rogers Mrs. Marlaire ASIELA per 4 5 November 2012
The Impact of the Pearl pt. 2 (official post) In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character, Hester’s, little girl, Pearl, has a large impact on the plot and her mother throughout the first 10 chapters. Through the most obvious method, Pearl represents shame “of the luxuriance of a guilty pleasure” (Hawthorne 81) that Hester is forced to bear because she is the illegal love child of Hester and a currently unspoken man. Her name is even derived from the punishment that Pearl causes Hester to endure; as a valuable object pearls cost a great deal of money, and although Hester did not pay for Pearl, per say, her daughter was “purchased with all she had,-her mother’s only treasure!” (Hawthorne 81) and cost Hester her normal life in their structured society. Now both Pearl and Hester are shunned or ridiculed by everyone else because of their new reputation as an adulterer and an extra sinful child; even though, Pearl’s only sin was uncontrollable and her mother’s sins were actually transferred to her like Eve to Cain and Able. As Pearl grows up she is seen by almost everyone as not-human; this partially spawns from the structured religious values of puritan society that all children are evil when they are born with the concept of the original sin combined with her unacceptable birth, but this assumption is also due to her behavior as a young and mischievous child. She is given these supernatural characteristics to reflect the transcendental characteristics of being one with nature, while at the same time, she goes against the typical romantic hero ideas by not being pure and how she is a representation of going against puritan values. Throughout chapter 6 and while Hester talks to Dimmesdale about her custody, Pearl is described as several mythical creatures such as; a pixie, witch, sprite, and “[a]n imp of evil, emblem and product of sin, she had no rights among christened infants” (Hawthorne 85), which all can possess positive characteristics but imply a dark ulterior motive or sinister personality. Not yet knowledgeable of how puritan society is ran, because of her self-isolation from any other children, Pearl acts as a relatable character to the reader through her reactions to the abnormally structured puritan beliefs that surround her, like the audience would.
I agree with your post in general, except the final portion relating to Pearl. While I do agree that Pearl embodies a relatable character that somewhat mirrors the audience in our thoughts, I do not believe Pearl is truly oblivious to the structure of Puritan society. Pearl seems to be more insightful than children her age. She since a young age has always found fascination with the scarlet letter which marks her mother's sin. The first thing she comes to notice is actually this mark and, "grasped at it, smiling not doubtfully, but with a decided gleam, that gave her face a look of a much older child" (Hawthorne 88), which may pinpoint a decidedly different view on the matter than the community due to her assertive smile. In addition, when Hester is communicating to Pearl that it was the Heavenly Father who gave her life, the hesitation with which Hester makes this remark does, "not escape the acuteness of the child" (Hawthorne 90) which may have affected her response to Mr. Wilson. Pearl's abnormal reactions to Puritan beliefs seem to be more of a devious response to others as if she is actually questioning the Puritan beliefs. As seen in chapter 8, she is well aware of her creator, yet she chooses to say, "she had not been made at all" (Hawthorne 102) and is actually a rose taken by her mother from the rose-bush first described in chapter 1. In fact, there seems to be some general truths in her snide remarks, that I believe can only stem from knowledge of Puritan society and its values.
I agree how you said Pearl will be viewed in society as the epitomy of sin and an evil child but i also think this will impact the plot by causing everyone else in society to scorn her which could change Pearl's being and cause her to grow up and scorn others because that's the environment she grew up in which will only make her look mor evil and cause her and her mother's situation to get worse.
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ReplyDeleteTravis Rogers
ReplyDeleteMrs. Marlaire
ASIELA per 4
5 November 2012
The Impact of the Pearl
In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character, Hester’s, little girl, Pearl, has a large impact on the plot and her mother throughout the first 10 chapters. Through the most obvious method, Pearl represents shame that Hester is forced to bear because she is the illegal love child of Hester and a currently unknown man. Her name is even derived from the punishment that Pearl causes Hester to endure; as a valuable object pearls cost a great deal of money, and although Hester did not pay for Pearl, per say, her daughter cost Hester her normal life in their structured society. Now both Pearl and Hester are shunned or ridiculed by everyone else because of their new reputation as an adulterer and an extra sinful child. As Pearl grows up she is seen by almost everyone as not-human; this partially spawns from the structured religious values of puritan society that all children are evil when they are born with the concept of the original sin combined with her unacceptable birth, but this assumption is also due to her behavior as a young and mischievous child. Throughout chapter 6 and while Hester talks to Dimmesdale about her custody, Pearl is described as several mythical creatures such as; an imp, pixie, witch, and sprite, which all can possess positive characteristics but imply a dark ulterior motive or sinister personality. Not yet knowledgeable of how puritan society is ran, because of her self-isolation from any other children, Pearl acts as a relatable character to the reader through her reactions to the abnormally structured puritan beliefs that surround her, like the audience would.
It is also important to note that the name "Pearl" is a Biblical reference: "When he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (KJV). Like you mentioned, Hester gave all that she had by committing adultery with Rev. Dimmesdale -- her lifestyle, her marriage, image, and reputation -- and in turn she gained her little Pearl. In a way, Pearl is less human, and more of a symbol to Hester, who brings her joy, but the constant, burning reminder of the consequences of her rash actions -- a living Scarlet Letter. Do you think that Pearl will ever be seen as a human by the other Puritans, or even by her own mother, who consistently asks, "Is that my [child]?" I think that as long as the Letter is on Hester's chest, Pearl will be the physical embodiment of that punishment.
DeleteBible verse: Mathew 13:46
DeleteGreat job Travis! I really enjoyed your connection of Pearl’s name to her effect on Hester in the strict Puritan society. I also like how you drew analysis from the Puritan’s image of Pearl as an evil baby. While the concept of original sin is evident in the society, the adultery committed by Hester adds to Pearl’s satanic image. Hawthorne’s description of the girl as “a born outcast of the infantile world” (85) furthers this concept and reveals her distance from the Puritan religion and society. Furthermore, I truly enjoyed your analysis on Pearl’s relatable nature, as an outsider, observing the beliefs of the Puritan community.
DeleteGreat analysis! I like how you point out that Hester Prynne's daughter, Pearl had an impact on both the plot and her mother, since this is true. Pearl changes her own mother's life in that she is being judge all the time because people found out that Hester Prynne had committed adultery since it was obvious that Hester Prynne wasn't able to keep her pregnancy a secret. I also really like how you analyzed the allusions that are made to her; imp,pixie,etc. Another thing I agree with you on how you said that Pearls are treasure that cost a lot of money , but since Hester didn't pay anything for Pearl, she must deal with everyday struggles.
DeletePeter Van Voorhis
ReplyDeleteAP Literature
Mrs. Marlaire
6 November 2012
Question 4 Response
Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Pearl plays a key role in developing the plot. In her case, her
inquisitive nature helps to develop not only her mother, but much of the plot.
Throughout much of the story, Pearl seems to be very in tune with important symbols, the most prevalent being her mother's scarlet letter. In Chapter 6, Pearl first notices the symbol on her
mother's breast and begins to “[fling handfuls of wildflowers] at her mother's bosom, dancing up and down...whenever she hit the scarlet letter” (Hawthorne 82). This symbolizes the deep bond that she has with her mom, but also serves as a constant reminder that they are indeed different. Because of Hester's affair, they are both treated as outcasts in Puritan society, causing them to
give each other mutual support. Hester calls her a Pearl because she is the only think she has left; all
else has been stripped away by the patriarchal society they live in. Hester views Pearl as having “faultless beauty” and sees her “perfect shape...vigor, and...natural dexterity,” demonstrating the immense love she has for her (Hawthorne 89). Pearl is not very significant as just a
character aside from the fact that she gives her mother comfort. Her real purpose in the text is that she
can also cause anguish for Hester, by reminding her that she is an adulterer and thus not fit for Puritan
society. Her fixation on the emblem, along with the fact that she is a living example of Hester's
immoral deed, cause Hester to feel even more sorrow than she would have normally. Because of the
effect Pearl has on her mom, she affects the plot by causing her to have conflicting emotions, making it
harder for Hester to reconcile with herself and move on. On one hand she provides comfort in times of
trouble, but on the other hand she serves as a constant reminder of her sinful actions.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York, New York: Random House, 2003. Print.
This is a very good analysis on Pearl's role in Hester's life. Pearl plays a major part in Hester's life because, as you said, she creates a greater feel of guilt within Hester's emotions and "serves as a constant reminder of her sinful actions"(Van Voorhis). Hester also recalls naming her daughter "Pearl" because of the great price she had to pay in giving birth to such an individual beauty, who in a way, reflects her own fiery attitude towards society and has led to society's hatred towards her. Pearl is also portrayed as an outcast, and this is all because of Hester's great sin as an adulterer. Although Pearl soon learns of Hester's Scarlet Letter, she still attempts to console and provide comfort to her mother regardless of this.
DeleteThis is very insightful Peter!I noticed a lot of symbols in the book and they all seem to tie back into Pearl's position. She's considered the physical representation of her mother's sin, and she's the epitome of sin and the spawn of satan. Like we had discussed in class, the name Pearl is Hester's attempt to make her daughter seem innocent and pure unlike how the rest of society perceives her. She is mocking how society branded them and now the name Pearl can effectively parallel her personality.
DeleteGood job Peter... I like your analysis on Pearl's role developing the plot. I also agree with you that Pearl greatly impacts the plot, she is a symbol of sin and adultery in the sense that she leads Dimmesdale and Hester to their confession and the acceptance of their sins. Since she is wise beyond her years, she frequently engages in ironic play having to do with her mother’s scarlet letter; she is the only living symbol of the scarlet letter, “causing her to have conflicting emotions, making it
Deleteharder for Hester to reconcile with herself and move on” (Van Voorhis.)
Brody Smith
ReplyDeleteMrs. Marlaire
ASIELA per 6
5 November 2012
Question 4 Response:
In the first 10 chapters of The Scarlet Letter, the character who has the biggest impact regarding the plot is Hester’s, the main character, child: Pearl. Pearl’s main influence upon the plot revolves around her influence over her mother’s feelings and actions. Hester views Pearl with a complex set of contradicting emotions; love, fear, and as a physical embodiment of her shame. Her love for Pearl is expressed as her choice of the name “Pearl” is explained with the view of Pearl as being “her…only treasure”(81). The name “Pearl” symbolizes Hester’s view of her child as coming at a great cost, but also being of great value. Contrasting with the love Hester has for Pearl is the fear that Pearl is somehow corrupted due to the circumstances of her birth. This comes to view through the characterization of Pearl as being otherworldly in her nature, revealing Hester’s mixed outlook on her former fate as she denounces the “Heavenly Father” herself, and yet still attempts to teach Pearl about the Puritan religion. This gives the reader the insight that Hester believes herself already damned, but still yearns for her child’s purity. The description of Pearl also reveals Hester’s own belief that she deserved to be punished for her crime of adultery. Hester uses her skill at needlework to turn Pearl into a reflection of the scarlet letter upon her breast, a source of constant agony to her. Thus, Pearl impacts the plot significantly as she functions as an expression of Hester’s own feelings regarding her source of shame. A deeper insight into Hester personality is found through the characterization of Pearl, and the influence this characterization has on Hester.
Nice! I definitely agree with your points here and how Pearl is unable to be independent or decide her own fate or even create her own identity because Hester has already decided for her and now Pearl doesn't not have the ability of a fresh start when she is born like a normal person would. Also I think the actual name "Pearl" might refer to something that someone values because it's rare and valuable and Hester's daughter is exactly that. She is someone Hester holds on to and she is also Hester's only real treasure and source of company that keeps Hester still on the right path and forcing her to be a better Puritan.
DeleteI definitely agree with with your arguement that Pearl has become a physical representation of Hester's sin; however, she also has a great impact on Hester's happiness. Pearl has given Hester a reson to love in a life of isolation from society. This love for Pearl is expressed in the choice for her name, referring to her daughter as her "mother's treasure". I also agree that Hester's affection for her daughter is also seen through her concern that her daughter might be "corrupted" by her mother's actions. Hester's emotions present a mixed feeling of love for Pearl, along with the fear of what will happen to her in the future.
DeleteGreat job! This was a really good character to analyze because if it weren’t for Pearl, Hester wouldn’t be in such deep trouble. Almost everyone in Hester’s society views Pearl as a horrible reflection of Hester’s mistake, someone who deserves a better mother, and some even think she’s a demon. But as you pointed out, Hester looks at Pearl as someone that she can raise to not make all the mistakes she has. I think of it as essentially her redoing her life through someone else. However, in my opinion I think she dresses Pearl in red to show the community that she’s proud of what she has made even though it was a big mistake, and she will not let the scarlet A which she has to wear capture her life.
DeleteI totally agree with you Brody! Pearl is a very significant character to the story overall, and she is also especially important in the reflection of Hester’s feelings as you have pointed out. Pearl was “purchased with all [Hester] had”, for she was the result and evidence of the adultery that Hester has been punished for (Hawthorne 81). This literal embodiment of the price Hester is paying for her sin makes Pearl, to a certain degree, a symbol of Hester’s feelings and guilt for this act Hester has committed. Therefore Pearl, as you said, gives readers a “deeper insight into Hester[‘s] personality” and greatly influences Hester’s characterization throughout the novel.
DeleteI 100% agree with what you said! Hester's only thing that she got out of committing adultery was in fact Pearl. Through out Chapters 1-10 she continuously fights over the rightful custody and the ability to raise her child because the Puritan society believes that she is an unfit mother because of her sin and that the baby is also sinful because she is the result of the action. Pearl also allows the reader to really delve deep into Hester's internal personality by bring out her softer side because Pearl is all that she loves. This leads to Hester changing her ways and trying to clear her name from evil for the sake of her daughter.
DeleteSara Wynia
ReplyDeleteMrs. Marlaire
AP Lit P.6
5 November 2012
Pearl defiantly appears as a important role in the main plot of The Scarlet Letter. Pearl falls under the category of a flat character portrayed by her youth and inability to express much growth and change at this point in the story. This small and little young lady would be seen as a weak character but her strength and expressiveness as a young girl in this society proves the opposite. "Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world" which puts her at a very vulnerable place in society(pg 85). Outside views of her believe she should not be with Hester for within the Puritan beliefs this does not seem appropriate for what Hester has done to this society. Due to Pearls strong personality she causes a great amount of troubles for Hester. Hester already has to deal with so many troubles in life due to her "sin" she committed, and having to deal with a child like this adds so much stress to her life. But what Hester has done to Pearls life evens out to a sense that the rest of Pearls life is going to give her a large amount of strain with the idea of never being able to grow up as a "normal" child.
The disgrace and shunning of sin that her mother, Hester Prynne, has committed and received also automatically falls upon her. I think that because of this, I agree that she will never be able to grow up as a normal child. As she is the only thing Hester lives for I believe she shapes the plot because of how the POV has bias for Hester more than other characters. D you think that it also shapes how Rev. Dimmsdale will act throughout the story? Many of us can infer that he is the father of pearl and thus the second sinner of adultery.
DeleteI agree with both of you, especially on the many different aspects and conditions of Pearl’s life that prohibit her from having any chance of growing up to be a normal child. Another thing that prohibits this is the fact that Pearl has been born an outcast because of her mother’s wrongs, which gives her no chance at being accepted into society and making any sort of acquaintances, other than that of her mother. The loneliness takes a large toll on Pearl since she ends up making imaginary enemies, not friends, and acts the same way to actual human children as she does to the nature she affiliates herself with.
DeleteI agree completely with your ideas. Yes, Pearl will never have a normal childhood. Pearl is a very important aspect in Hester’s life because she is the only reason for Hester wanting to live. Pearl is also an important factor to Hawthorne’s omniscient point of view; he is biased towards Pearl and Hester through the story. I also feel Pearls characteristic will challenge Reverend Dimmsdales character and his views. There is also an unknown connection between the reverend and Pearl, the readers can assume that Reverend Dimmsdale his Pearls father. She will also challenge the puritan religion, and also her being alive and the way she was created is questioning or challenging the community’s beliefs.
DeleteI agree. Pearl will always be affected by Hester's actions . The rest of the community sees her as an outcast -- the product of her mother's sin, born "out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion"(81). She is the living representation of the scarlet letter ("the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life"[93]), and is a constant reminder to Hester of her sin; however, she is "her mother's only treasure"(81) and gives her strength despite the Puritans' criticism and judgement.
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ReplyDeleteMorgan Simmons
ReplyDeleteMrs. Marlaire
ASIELA per 4
5 November 2012
In Nathaniel Hawthorn’s novel The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne’s daughter, Pearl, has an immense impact on Hester as well as the plot. Pearl herself brings grief and agony to Hester’s life since she is the embodiment of Hester’s sin and is a constant reminder of the shame her actions have brought on to both her and her child. Though Hester depicts her daughter as her treasure, Hawthorne reveals that “these thoughts affected Hester Prynne less with hope than rejected by society. Pearl lacks a set of morals and values which also isolates her in a highly apprehension,” (pg. 82). Because Pearl is the result of the immoral actions of Hester, she is Puritan society, where religious guidelines are firm and abided by with no inquisition or doubt. This unbiased nature of Pearl despite society’s attempt to mold her views demonstrates characteristics of an American Romantic hero. Pearl is also significant because she signifies the Puritan belief that nature is evil, demonstrating how Pearl both represents and contradicts the base of Puritan society.
Pearl’s complex character is also reflected as she is depicted as mischievous, fairytale figures, as Hawthorne says she would “smile with sprite-like intelligence, and resume her play,” (pg. 88). Though she appears beautiful and innocent, she has an underlying evil, making her a round character in the story. This also depicts Pearl’s power she has over other people, such as the calming sensation she brings to a room full of people. This insinuation toward a kind of supernatural influence illustrates the American Romantic influence Pearl brings to the Puritan society, further isolating her from the general public. Pearl is a crucial character not only because of the struggle she puts Hester through, but because she mirrors the intense Puritan and American Romantic influence in society.
You make a great point when explaining how Pearl's character represents the unfaithful sin committed by her mother. Therefore, throughout the town she is seen as a demon-born child who basically knows no limits within society. I also enjoy how you added how her mischievous attitude makes her seem like an evil entity. However, she somehow has this weird connection to Dimmsdale suggesting that he is her father, and she depicts Chillingworth as the "Black Man" who knows about everyone in town, while acting very innocent (Hawthorne 122). Pearl is basically seen as someone who not only mirrors the opposite of Puritan influence, but also the characterization of her own mother.
DeleteI agree that Pearl represents Hester’s sin and because of that, is brings pain to Hester knowing her sin has an affect on Pearl’s life socially. I also love the point you make about Pearl both representing and contradicting Puritan society because she is an outcast based on the unfaithful sin her mother committed. Your description of Pearl, saying she is mischievous but innocent makes her seem similar to Hester. This inner evil inside of Pearl creates even more isolation from society just as her mother had. I think you did a really good job characterizing Pearl and expressing the impact her character makes on the plot as a whole.
DeleteKate Wensley
ReplyDeleteMrs. Marlaire
ASIELA per 4
6 November 2012
In the novel, The Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the daughter of Hester Prynne greatly impacts the overall plot along with individual characters. Pearl is a complex character who furthermore is a living symbol of the scarlet letter Hester wears. Hawthorne describes her as a scarlet vision through her statement, "'I am mother's child,' answered the scarlet vision, ‘and my name is Pearl!'"(pg. 100) Not only is she a symbol for her mother's mistakes, but she is a constant reminder of her sins. Pearl is a result of a sin yet; her overwhelming innocence and such beauty go against her negative connotation to society. She seems to have magical powers and the ability to calm a room of people. She will never be able to be a “normal child” due to her mother’s action. She was "a born outcast of the infantile world." (pg. 85)
Along with her conflicting symbol of her mother’s commitment of sin and also beauty and calm elements, she also highlights traditional ideas of Puritan society and American Romanticism. The supernatural inferences are beliefs of American Romanticism. Her annexation from society, due to her mother, comes from traditional Puritan beliefs. Overall Pearl’s influence upon the story derives from her mother’s sin and beliefs of Puritanism and American Romanticism.
I like the connection you’ve drawn between Pearl and American Romanticism. The town’s disapproval of Pearl reflects the contrasting views of Puritans and Romantics. Considering Pearl’s naturalistic manner and the way she seems almost magical, it is no wonder she is viewed with alarm by the Puritans, because naturalism and magic are concepts associated with Paganism, or as Puritans would call it, witchcraft. Like Romanticism, Pearl is someone who hearkens back to attitudes that were the norm before the rise of traditional western society. But unlike American Romantics, Pearl has been shielded from western societal pressure by her mother, and thus Pearl is, according to Hawthorne’s view, a person in their most pure and natural form.
DeleteIf I were to respond to this question, the character I would choose (is similar to your character) is Pearl. Pearl is now holding the weight of her mother’s sin and unfortunately owns the embarrassment and shame of Hester’s adultery. I agree with your statement that Pearl is “a living symbol of the scarlet letter” and a constant reminder to Hester of her sins. “'I am mother's child” very much supports the previous claim and is a direct emphasis on the plot. I like your reference to American Romanticism regarding the ideas of a Puritan society because Pearl is shunned by society due to her relationship with Hester. This annexation (your words) is a complete connection describing the beliefs of a puritan society.
DeleteGood point Kate! I definitely agree with you that Pearl plays an immense role in this story since she is the daughter of the sinned mother, Hester Prynne. I like what you said about how Pearl is not only a symbol for Hester’s mistakes, but she is also a memory for Hester. It is important for the reader to note that and analyze what that will affect in the next coming chapters. It will be interesting to see the affects it has on Hester. I liked how you described Pearl and her qualities that affect the people around her and how you tied it back to the question. Great job!
DeleteKaitlyn Schwend
ReplyDeleteMrs. Marlaire
AP Lit/per 4
11/6/12
Pearl
In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl, Hester’s daughter, is a very round character with a lot of impact. Pearl is an infant “worthy to [be] brought forth in Eden,” (Hawthorne p.82) she is “so magnificent” (p.82) in beauty that her mother “could not help questioning…weather Pearl [is] a human child.”(p.84) Pastor John Wilson shares that mind set when asking “[a]rt thou a Christian child… or art thou one of those naughty elfs or fairies,” questioning how the child is being raised, Puritan or non religious (believing in science and mystical creatures.) (p.100) If Pearl hadn’t been conceived would her mother be in the same predicament? Pearl is the embodiment of the scarlet letter. She is her mother’s “happiness” and “torture” and is “so endowed with… the power of retribution for [her mother’s] sin.” (p.103) The fact that pearl is “the likeness of the scarlet letter,” means she is subjected to the same treatment as her mother, the one who owns the actual letter. (p.93) They are both out casted and look down upon because of the sin Hester committed in conceiving Pearl. “The children of the Puritans” suggest to each other to “fling mud at them,” in the children’s opinion, based on their Puritan faith, Hester and Pearl are already dirty because of Hester’s sin. (p.93) Pearl did not like the Puritan children who treated her in this way, she “stamp[ed] her foot… and suddenly made a rush…shouting and screaming.” (p.93) The children ran away from her as if she were an “angel of judgment-whose mission was to punish…sin.” (p.93) The children fear her, she is different from them, because she isn’t forced to follow the Puritan religion and has more of a freedom than all of them because she is not confined to the strict structure of the religion.
Work Cited
Nathaniel, Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. New York. Bantam Book.
1850. Print
I agree with everything you said here. Your commentary, "They are both out casted and look[ed] down upon because of the sin Hester committed in conceiving Pearl.”, embodies, sadly, the truth behind why Pearl is treated the way the way she is by the townspeople. Do you agree with treating Pearl like this because she was conceived by sin? Should she be out casted because her mom committed adultery? Is it her fault? This commentary would be great if we had an essay to write on how puritan beliefs affected Hester and Pearl because we would have a lot of evidence to provide in order to prove it.
DeleteOne thing I might be more specific on would be how she affected the plot of Hawthorn’s story.
I completely agree with you. Pearl is the product of Hester. Whatever Hester goes through Pearl will automatically go through as well. I like how you said “If pearl hadn’t been conceived would her mother still be in the same predicament?” It really shows how pearl is the scarlet letter, she is part of the cause of how they are mistreated. Children are intimidated by her, because of the lack of puritan beliefs and the representation of the scarlet letter. You did a very good job explaining Pearls effect on the plot and I now understand her character a lot more.
DeleteJeffrey Roberts
ReplyDeleteMarlaire
ASIELA Period 4
28 Sep. 2012
The Impact of the Devil
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Roger Chillingworth is constantly manipulating not only Hester, but all of the town’s people. From his very first appearances in Boston, he begins to use the residents to get what he wants. In chapter 4, Chillingworth leads the jailer to believe that he is “a man of skill in all Christian modes of physical science,” even though he has only been in Boston for a few days, allowing him to gain access to Hester (Hawthorne 65). This is also very ironic because Chillingworth constantly represents evil characteristics. He promises to get his revenge on whoever Hester’s lover is, and forces her to keep his identity secret. He also torments her by saying “alone with thy infant, and the scarlet letter! How is it Hester? [ ] Are thou not afraid of nightmares and hideous dreams?” which causes Hester to portray him as the “Black Man” (Hawthorne 71-72).
This perspective is at first unique to Hester, but then, as Chillingworth began to develop “a new [dark] purpose [ ] of force enough to engage at the full strength of his faculties,” others began to question his true motives (Hawthorne 108). Because he was the only doctor with modern practices, he was able to manipulate those in need of medical assistance in order to get what he wants. He becomes attached to Dimmesdale’s side like a leech, and like a leech, he begins to try to suck out answers. He persistently questions Dimmesdale, especially about Hester, which causes growing suspicion, and by the end of Chapter 9, most of the community believed that Dimmesdale was “haunted by Satan himself [ ] in the guise of Chillingworth” (Hawthorne 116). Therefore, by the end of the first 10 chapters, Chillingworth had haunted both Hester and Dimmesdale personally by his appearance, but also the rest of the town by constantly distributing evil characteristics.
Works Cited
Nathaniel, Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. New York. Bantam Book. 1850. Print
Great point! I see how you were able to incorporate the devil into being Chillingworth as he "leeched" the information from the towns people. Also I totally agree with you on how he was able to manipulate the townspeople's trust, portraying himself as the knowledgeable and responsible physician, when in reality he was only putting on this disguise of being "Roger Chillingworth", as a way to gain the information he needed to punish the man who had an affair with his wife. You may also want to note that although he did affect Hester emotionally he was never planning on seeking revenge on her physically. He felt as the dominant member in the Patriarchal hierarchy, it was his job to punish the other man, due to the fact that at the time, the Puritan Era, women were considered weak and unknowledgeable.
DeleteGreat ideas, I agree how Chillingworth is a “Leech” because he is sucking the life out of Reverend Dimmesdale hoping to get his secrets out so that he could destroy the honored reputation of Dimmesdale. Also I agree with how he can be interpreted as Satan because he causing suffering to many people that he is involved with, “But what distinguished the physcian’s estacy from Satan’s was the trait of wonder in it”(Harthorne 126), that shows he gains pleasure out of others pain. It ironic because he is a physician who is supposed to make people feel better physically, but is making them worse internally.
DeleteI also agree on how Chillingworth resembles the devil, with his power of manipulation to get the information and essentials he needs to get what he wants, which is revenge and evil motive. This can also be another reason for being called a “leech” . Also with his science background he is more knowledgeable in what the people their need, giving him more power to feast of the weak.
DeleteGreat observance! Another quote that backs up your comparison of Chillingworth to the Devil is on page 122: Hester and Pearl are passing the house that Chillingworth and Dimmesdale share, and Pearl says, "Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already." This could be interpreted in many ways, one of them being that Pearl has a supernatural sense that Dimmesdale is her father, because, somehow, she knows that he has sinned. But I don't think it's any coincidence that Chillingworth was with Dimmesdale -- by this point the readers already are aware of Chillingworth's negative manipulation of/intent with the reverend -- sitting at the window, "old," and as you described, dark in his nature.
ReplyDeleteReverend Dimmesdale
ReplyDeleteHawthorne’s characterization of Reverend Dimmesdale as a round, Byronic hero serves to exemplify the conflict between Puritanism and Romanticism in the plot. The Byronic hero is typically a self-destructive being, haunted by a secret ("American Renaissance & American Romanticism: The Byronic Hero”), much a Dimmesdale is “meddle[d] with a question of human guilt, passion, and anguish (Hawthorne 61). His love of people, particularly his inferred lover Hester and child Pearl, is what creates a three-dimensional persona for Dimmesdale. He is a prominent Puritan figure in society, whose “eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession” (Hawthorne 62). Though he preaches the basic belief in the Covenant of Grace, he punishes himself by becoming ill with secreted guilt. In public, Dimmesdale urges Hester to reveal the adulterer’s identity to save from “add[ing] hypocrisy to sin” (Hawthorne 63), yet, ironically, he lets his secret make him sick. It is clear that he is not simply a flat character because of his dynamic involvement in Hester’s eternal damnation. Dimmesdale would go against his religious values in order to save face, let Hester take the public blame, and personally deal with the remorse; of course, such decision cause him great suffering. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne contrasts the Puritan nature of his fictional society with his own romantic views and uses Dimmesdale as a symbol of such internal conflict. Much like the speaker, Dimmesdale was raised in a strictly Puritan environment but goes against his upbringing by displaying individualistic ideals. His dark nature and multifaceted reasoning make him a Byronic hero that embodies the plotted discrepancy between Puritan and Romantic dogmas.
Works Cited
"American Renaissance & American Romanticism: The Byronic Hero." University of Houston-Clear Lake. University of Houston. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. .
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1986. Print.
That is very interesting insight! Hawthorne uses Reverend Dimmesdale as an embodiment of the opposing views of Puritanism and the Romanticism he employs. His sickness is further evidence of the conflicts between the two ideas and the role they play within the story.
DeleteI'm so glad you chose someone else besides Pearl that effects the plot! I liked how you chose the topic of Byronic hero to talk about his influence on the story, being the reverend that should look down upon the sinner but instead is connected to her and feels for her welfare. He exclaims, "be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him... Though he [might have] to step down from a high place... Yet better it were so...", demonstrating sympathy and want to reveal himself as the contributor to the crime besides Hester, revealing his failure as a "hero". This point enriches the plot, adding suspense to foreshadowing events due to the reverend's daring motives to bring forth a detremental issue for the community. Also, it does make sense that Hawthorne utilizes the dark romanticism he does throughout the relationship between Hester and Dimmesdale for that was his personality as a writer. Great analysis overall and good use of Puritan ideology.
DeleteReverend Dimmesdale with his conflicting situation as a sinner as well as the reverend of Puritanism confirms his status as a round character. As Pearl's father he feels the need to fulfill that role but by doing so, he is supporting the very sinner that his priest side is out to condemn. Your bringing up of Puritanism and Romantic values clashing adds depth to the plot as it symbolizes how hypocritical society can be. Dimmesdale is a leader of Puritanism yet by sinning he goes against the very values he preaches. This hypocrisy makes it seem like the society that Hester lives in is as much to blame as Hester.
DeleteOkay, first off I’d like to say that I like how you connected Puritanism and Romanticism with Dimmesdale and how you said that he was basically a personification of the two contrasting ideals fighting with each other. And this goes with something I had said on another post, that the church was being quite hypocritical in the sense that they were trying to control people to make them good, but in the end the church does even more evil to the people who have committed sin than the amount of evil the sinners had caused themselves. With Dimmesdale, I think that his character really points out this hypocrisy in the Church and in the plot as you have here. He has “added hypocrisy to sin” (Hawthorne 63).
DeleteJami Rund
ReplyDeleteMarlaire
AP Literature Period 6
06 November 2012
Throughout the first 10 chapters of the Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl, Hester Prynne’s daughter, has a significant impact of Hester as well as the entire plot of the novel. Pearl serves as a physical symbol of her mother’s sins and is negatively viewed due to her mother’s mistakes. While Hester does have great love towards her child, as she describes her as her “happiness”, however she also is Hester’s “torture” (pg.103) The youth, and innocence of Pearl is described in the beginning of the novel, as Hester and the newborn exit the jail, as she “turned aside [her] little face from the too vivid light of day” mostly because she had been “acquainted only with the gray twilight of a dungeon.” (pg.50) Pearl is being described as almost a scapegoat, suffering in place for her mother’s sins. Pearl is being brought up into a world, more importantly, a Puritan community, where she is already been judged for a sin she did not commit. Pearl is described as a “sin-born infant” (pg. 59), for she was conceived in sin, and will forever serve as a physical symbol of the sin Hester Prynne committed. Although Hester has to wear the A on her bosom, as a consequence, she also has Pearl there as a constant reminder and the main reason Hester feels guilt for the committing adultery.
Works Cited
Nathaniel, Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter. New York. Bantam Book. 1850. Print
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI agree with you. Another interesting way that Pearl affects the plot of the story is that she seems to be influencing Hester’s actions and viewpoints. She is helping Hester follow a more pure path and not participate in evil events. In Chapter 8, Hester declines an opportunity to participate in witchcraft because she needs to “keep watch over [her] little Pearl” (Hawthorne 59). This “[is] already illustration of the young minister’s argument against sundering the relation of a fallen mother to the offspring of her frailty.”(59). Pearl has essentially “saved [Hester] from Satan’s snare” which is ironic because she is looked at as a demonic child born out of an evil relationship, yet she is helping her mother not succumb to evil desires(59).
DeleteHawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1986. Print.
I completely agree! Pearl is the product of Hester’s sins, and will therefore serve as constant reminder of Hester’s wrong doings and identity as an outsider in Puritan society. Hester recognizes that Pearl was made by her “evil” deeds and therefore “looked fearfully into the child’s expanding nature, ever dreading to detect some dark and wild peculiarity, that should correspond to the guiltiness to which she owed her being.” Hester, though loving of Pearl, lived in constant fear that Pearl might be the “devil’s child.” Furthermore, Pearl’s presence amplifies Reverend Dimmesdale’s guilt over not only the sin he committed years ago but also of the sin of not taking responsibility for past sins.
DeleteThis is well-written! Also, Pearl and Hester have a great bond between the two, that no one could break, not even Governor Bellingham because Hester feels that her daughter's strange behavior is somehow associated with Pearl's conception and birth. Even though Pearl understands the scarlet letter she still has respect for her mother. i agree that Pearl functions as a reminder of Hester's passion. Hester realizes this in the first few moments when she resists to hold Pearl in front of the scarlet "A", "wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another." (Hawthorne 50)
DeleteThomas Sarjeant
ReplyDeleteMarlaire
AP Lit/Period 6
6 November, 2012
The character that proves to have the biggest impact on the plot of the story so far is Hester's daughter, Pearl. As seen as a "product of sin" (pg 85) by the towns people, Pearl begins her life as an outcast and truly as no chance of changing this based on Hester's poor decisions in her past. Although Pearl is perceived as young and weak, she does have a low tolerance level for any of the towns people which she shows when she beats up the towns people for heckling her and her mother. Yes, Pearl does love Hester very much and wants to stay with her but the people within the town disagree. The people of the town believe they should not live or be together because both of their evil ways go completely against Puritanic believes and morals. With that being the case, Pearl creates an even more difficult place for Hester to be in. Now Hester does not only have to worry about the burden of the Scarlet Letter, but she most now go through the trouble of keeping Pearl with her, which in this town is going to be her biggest challenge. Hester has to deal with all the hardships that Pearl brings to her, but she is willing to do this because of her love for Pearl and her acceptance that the reason she is in this position is because of herself.
I completely agree with you Thomas. Pearl is a very critical character in the story. I like how you pointed out Pearl's predestination as a social outcast as a result of Hester Prynne's adultery. Yet her character is fitting because her personality would not have conformed well with Puritan ideals anyways; her outspokenness and wildness clash with the normal female expectations in Puritan society. I also liked that you mentioned Pearl causing conflict in the story regarding her custody, showing that she plays a controversial role in the story. Yet, like you said, Hester is willing to fight for Pearl for love and possibly to even take full responsibility for creating a child out of sin.
DeleteI agree. However, one interesting detail is that not everyone in the town disagrees with Hester and Pearl staying together. Reverend Dimmesdale, in chapter 8, protects Hester's right to keep Pearl, and believes that the child "hath come from the hand of God, to work in many ways upon her heart" (Hawthorne 104). He also shows a intimate connection with Pearl when he "laid his hand on the child's head...and then kissed her brow" (106). Hester, witnessing this, "asked herself, - 'Is this my Pearl?'" (105), obviously surprised by Pearl's actions towards the Reverend. Also, I find it interesting that Hester doesn't blame the Reverend in any noticeable way for her punishment in Pearl.
DeleteI agree with you, for Pearl overall is the main “consequence” of Hester’s “sin” and from the very beginning of her existence she becomes an outcast. Despite being an outcast from the beginning it seems that it fits her for her character goes against the ideals of Puritan society. Even as a small girl she states that God was not the one who brought her into this world showing that she lacks faith in God something that contrasts the puritan Belief. In the puritan society Puritans have to have faith and believe that they are in this world due to gods will. And although she is a “consequence” of Hester’s “sin” she is willing to take care of her and not all the people of the town believe that she should not keep Pearl though. Dimmesdale protects Hester and Pearl and tells the governor that Hester is worthy of carrying for Pearl so not everybody is against Hester carrying for Pearl.
DeleteSavannah Vader
ReplyDeleteMarlaire
AP Lit. Period 4
11/6/12
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester's daughter, Pearl, has a great impact on the story's plot and Hester herself. Hester refers to Pearl as her "only treasure" (pg.81), because Pearl is now the only one she can confide in and have there with her. In a sense, Pearl is Hester's only form of happiness, but she is also her reason for sorrow as well. Pearl also represents the sin that Hester committed and is a constant reminder of her wrongdoing. Pearl is referred to as a "product of sin"(pg. 85) because she was the product of her mother's sin of adultery. Even children among their society noticed the difference between Pearl and the others and thought she "had no right among christened infants"(pg. 85) because they thought that Pearl would some how corrupt their children or have an affect on them.
I agree with you. Pearl is Hester's "only treasure" in life, but at the same time she was born through sin which brings Hester shame. She loves her daughter but will always associate her as a product of degeneracy. This makes Pearl irritable, hostile,and inconsolable. Everyone, including Pearl, herself views Pearl as the incarnation of sin.
DeleteTravis Rogers
ReplyDeleteMrs. Marlaire
ASIELA per 4
5 November 2012
The Impact of the Pearl pt. 2 (official post)
In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character, Hester’s, little girl, Pearl, has a large impact on the plot and her mother throughout the first 10 chapters. Through the most obvious method, Pearl represents shame “of the luxuriance of a guilty pleasure” (Hawthorne 81) that Hester is forced to bear because she is the illegal love child of Hester and a currently unspoken man. Her name is even derived from the punishment that Pearl causes Hester to endure; as a valuable object pearls cost a great deal of money, and although Hester did not pay for Pearl, per say, her daughter was “purchased with all she had,-her mother’s only treasure!” (Hawthorne 81) and cost Hester her normal life in their structured society. Now both Pearl and Hester are shunned or ridiculed by everyone else because of their new reputation as an adulterer and an extra sinful child; even though, Pearl’s only sin was uncontrollable and her mother’s sins were actually transferred to her like Eve to Cain and Able. As Pearl grows up she is seen by almost everyone as not-human; this partially spawns from the structured religious values of puritan society that all children are evil when they are born with the concept of the original sin combined with her unacceptable birth, but this assumption is also due to her behavior as a young and mischievous child. She is given these supernatural characteristics to reflect the transcendental characteristics of being one with nature, while at the same time, she goes against the typical romantic hero ideas by not being pure and how she is a representation of going against puritan values. Throughout chapter 6 and while Hester talks to Dimmesdale about her custody, Pearl is described as several mythical creatures such as; a pixie, witch, sprite, and “[a]n imp of evil, emblem and product of sin, she had no rights among christened infants” (Hawthorne 85), which all can possess positive characteristics but imply a dark ulterior motive or sinister personality. Not yet knowledgeable of how puritan society is ran, because of her self-isolation from any other children, Pearl acts as a relatable character to the reader through her reactions to the abnormally structured puritan beliefs that surround her, like the audience would.
I agree with your post in general, except the final portion relating to Pearl. While I do agree that Pearl embodies a relatable character that somewhat mirrors the audience in our thoughts, I do not believe Pearl is truly oblivious to the structure of Puritan society. Pearl seems to be more insightful than children her age. She since a young age has always found fascination with the scarlet letter which marks her mother's sin. The first thing she comes to notice is actually this mark and, "grasped at it, smiling not doubtfully, but with a decided gleam, that gave her face a look of a much older child" (Hawthorne 88), which may pinpoint a decidedly different view on the matter than the community due to her assertive smile. In addition, when Hester is communicating to Pearl that it was the Heavenly Father who gave her life, the hesitation with which Hester makes this remark does, "not escape the acuteness of the child" (Hawthorne 90) which may have affected her response to Mr. Wilson. Pearl's abnormal reactions to Puritan beliefs seem to be more of a devious response to others as if she is actually questioning the Puritan beliefs. As seen in chapter 8, she is well aware of her creator, yet she chooses to say, "she had not been made at all" (Hawthorne 102) and is actually a rose taken by her mother from the rose-bush first described in chapter 1. In fact, there seems to be some general truths in her snide remarks, that I believe can only stem from knowledge of Puritan society and its values.
DeleteI agree how you said Pearl will be viewed in society as the epitomy of sin and an evil child but i also think this will impact the plot by causing everyone else in society to scorn her which could change Pearl's being and cause her to grow up and scorn others because that's the environment she grew up in which will only make her look mor evil and cause her and her mother's situation to get worse.
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