Introduction -
Hawthorne fast establishes a binary opposition in The Scarlet Letter between the Puritan society that condemns Hester’s choices and the contemplation afforded by the isolation of the forest. Pearl is central to this opposition; she, while initially the physical manifestation of sin becomes a dynamic signal of hope and change. The formation of her personality and character belongs largely to the psychological effects of her geographical surroundings; through her mother’s perceived sin she is forced to live away from civilisation and closer to nature. Her functions are many and if there is a moral truth or an intellectual thrust to be extracted from the novel it comes from the actions and representations of Hawthorne’s Pearl. …show more content…
While exploring her role as an agent of change, there emerges a parallel between her function and Hawthorne’s function as an artist. Isolation in The Scarlet Letter isn’t merely physical isolation but a matter of moral alienation, solitude among other beings. Much like in Emerson’s writing, the tension between solitude and society is central to Hawthorne’s artistic direction. From Pearl’s decision to reintegrate it is evident that, in Hawthorne’s mind, there is no individual but that which ties us to other human beings. What Kaul describes as ‘the land –of-promise hope, together with a great deal of doubt whether the lands of promise are to be ever discovered anywhere – unless it be in the altered hearts of men’ (Kaul, 1970: 159), it is these altered hearts that Hawthorne foresees and hopes for when Pearl gains community, and also in his own contemporary society, when the book is published. At this point, Hawthorne and Emerson branch to different conclusions about the individual and society. Emerson’s strong belief in the infinitude of the private man does not fit with Hawthorne’s claim that the individual only has meaning, ultimately, within a community. Hawthorne wants to change what exists, rather than retreat entirely from what is wrong with society. Hawthorne suggests that only community life based upon genuine emotion and love can hold and endure
Hawthorne fast establishes a binary opposition in The Scarlet Letter between the Puritan society that condemns Hester’s choices and the contemplation afforded by the isolation of the forest. Pearl is central to this opposition; she, while initially the physical manifestation of sin becomes a dynamic signal of hope and change. The formation of her personality and character belongs largely to the psychological effects of her geographical surroundings; through her mother’s perceived sin she is forced to live away from civilisation and closer to nature. Her functions are many and if there is a moral truth or an intellectual thrust to be extracted from the novel it comes from the actions and representations of Hawthorne’s Pearl. …show more content…
While exploring her role as an agent of change, there emerges a parallel between her function and Hawthorne’s function as an artist. Isolation in The Scarlet Letter isn’t merely physical isolation but a matter of moral alienation, solitude among other beings. Much like in Emerson’s writing, the tension between solitude and society is central to Hawthorne’s artistic direction. From Pearl’s decision to reintegrate it is evident that, in Hawthorne’s mind, there is no individual but that which ties us to other human beings. What Kaul describes as ‘the land –of-promise hope, together with a great deal of doubt whether the lands of promise are to be ever discovered anywhere – unless it be in the altered hearts of men’ (Kaul, 1970: 159), it is these altered hearts that Hawthorne foresees and hopes for when Pearl gains community, and also in his own contemporary society, when the book is published. At this point, Hawthorne and Emerson branch to different conclusions about the individual and society. Emerson’s strong belief in the infinitude of the private man does not fit with Hawthorne’s claim that the individual only has meaning, ultimately, within a community. Hawthorne wants to change what exists, rather than retreat entirely from what is wrong with society. Hawthorne suggests that only community life based upon genuine emotion and love can hold and endure