In the Scarlet Letter, on pages 92 and 93, Hawthorne uses a mix of captivating imagery, mischievous diction, and devilish details to alert the reader to impish tone, endearing attitude, the perfect analogy between Pearl and her mother’s scarlet letter. Throughout the passage, Pearl is constantly described with mischievous diction. For instance, she enjoys annoying her mother by constantly asking to be picked up and put down, “more from caprice than necessity.” The use of caprice here indicates that Pearl thinks more of her own wants than her mother’s needs, thus showing that she gives her mother more grief than necessary, a blatant sign of her elfishness. Not only that, but after being put down, she would “[frisk] onward,” a clear sign of
…show more content…
As she would run alongside her mother, she often ran carelessly, “with many a harmless trip and tumble.” These words undoubtedly depict a view of a young girl in a very charming, juvenile way, even though lines before, she was purposely aggravating her mother. This attitude that the author has toward Pearl foreshadows what is to come of Pearl, her mother, and the infamous sin. He shows that though Pearl is devilish now, people of the town are beginning to see her as more of a tricky child than a manifestation of sin. Pearl is described as having a “rich and luxuriant beauty;.. [and] a bright complexion, eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow,” which is just a description of her lovely, childlike appearance. In the next paragraph, as though the author suddenly remembered that she was the consequence of Hester’s sin, begins to bash and insult Pearl and her appearance, rather than the endearing attitude he had before. It is almost as if Hawthorne is trying to remind himself that this girl is supposed to be bad and that everyone should hate her, but they are starting to forget about her evilness. This foreshadows the end of the book, in which the Puritan society sees Hester, Pearl, and the letter as a sign of pure and good living rather than a reminder of an evil sin, and where Pearl regains and retains the endearing attitude of Hawthorne and the …show more content…
By “arraying her in a crimson velvet tunic, of a peculiar cut,” Hawthorne parallels Pearl and the scarlet letter, which eventually becomes the purpose of the passage. She is the actual manifestation of Hester’s sin, which is evident through her devilish side. Yet when people view her, they see the toil and work that Hester put in to raising her, so by the end of the novel, Hester’s symbol of sin becomes a symbol of her righteousness, similar to how Pearl isn’t seen in a devilish view anymore. Hawthorne further cements the similarities between Pearl and the scarlet letter by “[creating] an analogy between the object of [Hester’s] affection and her emblem of guilt and torture” through the bright red clothing Pearl wore. But truly Pearl was her escape and her torture; it was only through Pearl was Hester able to enjoy life again after being publically shamed, but at the same time, Pearl continually reminded Hester of the sin that she had
As she would run alongside her mother, she often ran carelessly, “with many a harmless trip and tumble.” These words undoubtedly depict a view of a young girl in a very charming, juvenile way, even though lines before, she was purposely aggravating her mother. This attitude that the author has toward Pearl foreshadows what is to come of Pearl, her mother, and the infamous sin. He shows that though Pearl is devilish now, people of the town are beginning to see her as more of a tricky child than a manifestation of sin. Pearl is described as having a “rich and luxuriant beauty;.. [and] a bright complexion, eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow,” which is just a description of her lovely, childlike appearance. In the next paragraph, as though the author suddenly remembered that she was the consequence of Hester’s sin, begins to bash and insult Pearl and her appearance, rather than the endearing attitude he had before. It is almost as if Hawthorne is trying to remind himself that this girl is supposed to be bad and that everyone should hate her, but they are starting to forget about her evilness. This foreshadows the end of the book, in which the Puritan society sees Hester, Pearl, and the letter as a sign of pure and good living rather than a reminder of an evil sin, and where Pearl regains and retains the endearing attitude of Hawthorne and the …show more content…
By “arraying her in a crimson velvet tunic, of a peculiar cut,” Hawthorne parallels Pearl and the scarlet letter, which eventually becomes the purpose of the passage. She is the actual manifestation of Hester’s sin, which is evident through her devilish side. Yet when people view her, they see the toil and work that Hester put in to raising her, so by the end of the novel, Hester’s symbol of sin becomes a symbol of her righteousness, similar to how Pearl isn’t seen in a devilish view anymore. Hawthorne further cements the similarities between Pearl and the scarlet letter by “[creating] an analogy between the object of [Hester’s] affection and her emblem of guilt and torture” through the bright red clothing Pearl wore. But truly Pearl was her escape and her torture; it was only through Pearl was Hester able to enjoy life again after being publically shamed, but at the same time, Pearl continually reminded Hester of the sin that she had