Pearl and the A
She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom” (Hawthorn 152.) Symbols create meaning and better understandings to a novel causing the reader to critically think and develop a deeper understanding of the book. The Scarlet Letter is set in a Puritan society where God is the center of all things and in choosing to do wrong, punishments are public and humiliating. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester bears a child made with a man she is not married to. Living in a Puritan society, this is a sin looked down upon and Hester must suffer the consequences. The punishment she must face is to wear a scarlet colored A on her bosom so the rest of society knows she has done wrong. Not only is she directed to wear the A, she also has to take care of and raise her child Pearl. She now suffers both consequences of the A and her daughter Pearl. Although both Pearl and the A are essential to the Scarlet Letter, through many debates between critics, the A is proven the be the most profound.
Pearl, being the living consequence of Hester’s actions, is by some critics seen to show more vitalness than the A. “The character of Pearl is as much, or more, a …show more content…
Pearl is the living reminder of her sin and cannot be removed, however, the A means much more and holds a greater weight and judgement on Hester.
While some few critics think that Dimmesdale is the main character of The Scarlet Letter, most agree that this role belongs to Hester. Yet it could be argued that there is a “character” more important than either of them. According to the dictionary, the primary meaning of the word character is “a conventional graphic device placed on an object as an indication of ownership, age, or relationship,” or “a graphic symbol used in writing or printing.” Taking this primary definition, the chief character in The Scarlet Letter must be, of course, the scarlet letter itself” (Baym
She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom” (Hawthorn 152.) Symbols create meaning and better understandings to a novel causing the reader to critically think and develop a deeper understanding of the book. The Scarlet Letter is set in a Puritan society where God is the center of all things and in choosing to do wrong, punishments are public and humiliating. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester bears a child made with a man she is not married to. Living in a Puritan society, this is a sin looked down upon and Hester must suffer the consequences. The punishment she must face is to wear a scarlet colored A on her bosom so the rest of society knows she has done wrong. Not only is she directed to wear the A, she also has to take care of and raise her child Pearl. She now suffers both consequences of the A and her daughter Pearl. Although both Pearl and the A are essential to the Scarlet Letter, through many debates between critics, the A is proven the be the most profound.
Pearl, being the living consequence of Hester’s actions, is by some critics seen to show more vitalness than the A. “The character of Pearl is as much, or more, a …show more content…
Pearl is the living reminder of her sin and cannot be removed, however, the A means much more and holds a greater weight and judgement on Hester.
While some few critics think that Dimmesdale is the main character of The Scarlet Letter, most agree that this role belongs to Hester. Yet it could be argued that there is a “character” more important than either of them. According to the dictionary, the primary meaning of the word character is “a conventional graphic device placed on an object as an indication of ownership, age, or relationship,” or “a graphic symbol used in writing or printing.” Taking this primary definition, the chief character in The Scarlet Letter must be, of course, the scarlet letter itself” (Baym