Scarlet Letter Pearl Symbolism

What does it mean to be symbolic or to have symbolism? To have symbolism can mean that one thing in particular stands for something else entirely. You can look around and see symbols everywhere. For example, our American flag is the symbol of our country, and stands for the United States of America, the American idea or dream, and immigrants from all over the world of all ethnicities and cultures coming together as one. That in itself is pretty amazing. But, on the other hand, there are other symbols, like the Nazi sign in World War II, which stood for something evil. We can all agree that the Nazis in World War II were terrible people and did terrible things. It seems only fair for people to be scared or angry at the sight of a Nazi symbol. …show more content…
Pearl is Hester’s daughter and the outcome of her mother’s affair with Dimmesdale. She is almost completely a symbol and hard reality. Though she is well taken care of and is a bright and innocent young girl, the community views her as the result of the devil’s work. She, unfortunately, was born into that status, and more than likely is going to keep that title for the rest of her life. On the other hand, Hester views her as “the living hieroglyphic”. Which just means that she is the living proof of her mother's adulterous actions and the fact of it will never go away. Since her birth, she has been both a blessing and a torture to her mother because she loves her but at the same time it hurts to know what evil act she has committed. Also in the story it is described that Hester would dress Pearl up in red clothing to remind her even more of what she has done. Others can also relate that Pearl’s name is something that provokes thoughts of purity. There are stories out there that describe that a Pearl is so innocent and so pure; which is ironic considering she is the result of an affair. In conclusion, Pearl is a great symbol of very many different