How Does Pearl Prynne Change Throughout The Scarlet Letter

Pearl Prynne, earned her name from being her Mother’s only treasure. Pearl is a significant character in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Anne Marie McNamara elaborates about the importance of Pearl in the novel in her article The Role of Pearl. Her essay explains how Pearl’s character impacts Dimmesdale and her split personality. McNamara also touches all of Pearl’s symbolizations. Pearl’s character is the main reason Dimmesdale changes throughout the novel. McNamara says, “She causes a transformation in the realm of the spirit; the effect is translatable in the terms of the spirit” (McNamara 80). Pearl is the entire reason Dimmesdale’s character changes throughout the entire story. She is a spirit child who changes Dimmesdale for the better. McNamara also believes, “Through her act of rejection she has communicated to him the necessity for public declaration of sin as a …show more content…
McNamara points out, “Pearl is not merely an ordinary, playful seven-year-old child: she is also preciously intelligent, bewildering subtle, frighteningly independent, and penetratingly wise” (81). Pearl has to be intelligent, independent, and wise for her age in order to stay strong. She has to withstand all the unfair, cruel judgments, and opinions of the heartless townspeople. Pearl is not able to have a childhood like the other children all because of who her parents are. During the creek scene, Pearl is across the creek from both Hester and Dimmesdale, “To Hester, Pearl is not far off, but to Dimmesdale she is a good way off” (82-83). Dimmesdale and Hester have completely different views on the situation, Hester’s view is more optimistic because she has admitted to her sin and is Pearl’s Mother. While Dimmesdale is more pessimistic because he has to deal with his sin and is not as close to Pearl as Hester. Some of Pearl’s personality helps show what Pearl