The Scarlet Letter was written in the 1800s. Nathaniel Hawthorne added an interesting, curious character. Which her name is Pearl. She is the daughter of Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale. Pearl is just a little young child but is a big problem. She is her mother's mistake. Hawthorne’s reasoning for putting Pearl in the story was to be a symbolic image. Nina Baym's article shows that the scarlet letter on Hester’s bosom, conscience, and Hester, herself, symbolizes the character of Pearl.
The big, bold and scarlet letter that Hester is forced to wear on her chest is a symbolic image of Pearl’s character. For example, Hawthorne explains, “it was the scarlet letter in another form; The Scarlet Letter endowed with life! (102).” As we clearly know, Hester commits adultery on Roger Chillingworth with Reverend Dimmesdale and ends up pregnant with Pearl. Committing adultery is highly frowned upon, so the villagers made her wear an “A” on her chest. Pearl is the reasoning for this letter. The Scarlet Letter on her bosom stands for “adultery,” Baym also tells us that Hester Prynne dresses Pearl in specific …show more content…
Nina Baym explains that, “Pearl is not an independant character so much as an abstraction of element of Hester’s character (2).” Pearl is a miniature Hester. I think that this is what Hester might have been like how Pearl is when she was a younger child. Baym also talks a lot about how Pearl is rebellious, just like Hester. For example Baym says, “Hester’s great love for the child signifies in part her refusal to disown her “sin” through a judgement that it was evil (2).” Pearl is a very disobedient human being. She refused on a lot of things if she did not get her way. Just like how Hester refused to give her own daughter up and how Pearl refuses to let her mother forget about the letter on her chest. In conclusion, Pearl’s character symbolizes a lot of images in The Scarlet
The big, bold and scarlet letter that Hester is forced to wear on her chest is a symbolic image of Pearl’s character. For example, Hawthorne explains, “it was the scarlet letter in another form; The Scarlet Letter endowed with life! (102).” As we clearly know, Hester commits adultery on Roger Chillingworth with Reverend Dimmesdale and ends up pregnant with Pearl. Committing adultery is highly frowned upon, so the villagers made her wear an “A” on her chest. Pearl is the reasoning for this letter. The Scarlet Letter on her bosom stands for “adultery,” Baym also tells us that Hester Prynne dresses Pearl in specific …show more content…
Nina Baym explains that, “Pearl is not an independant character so much as an abstraction of element of Hester’s character (2).” Pearl is a miniature Hester. I think that this is what Hester might have been like how Pearl is when she was a younger child. Baym also talks a lot about how Pearl is rebellious, just like Hester. For example Baym says, “Hester’s great love for the child signifies in part her refusal to disown her “sin” through a judgement that it was evil (2).” Pearl is a very disobedient human being. She refused on a lot of things if she did not get her way. Just like how Hester refused to give her own daughter up and how Pearl refuses to let her mother forget about the letter on her chest. In conclusion, Pearl’s character symbolizes a lot of images in The Scarlet