Essay on the Symbol of Pearl in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Symbol of Pearl in The Scarlet Letter   The Scarlet Letter is a book of much symbolism.  One of the most building complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Pearl symbolizes a real and constant reminder of Hesters sins, she is much more prominent and evident than the A that Hester wore, for she is a real living brea function person who will always remain a part Hester. Hawthorne places Pearl in the novel to explore the physical composition of Romanticism, to create a character who is passionate and true, one who questions the behavior and values of Hester and Dimmesdale.             Pearls behavior towards her mother varied at different times.  She would a lot constantly nag her mother and became infatuated with the scarlet A which her mother wore.  She is anything exclusively a normal Puritan child, and Hawthorne creates her character very interestingly. The child could n ot be made amenable to rules. In giving her existence, a great law had been broken..... (91)Pearl was so very aware of this A even if she did not in full understand the meaning of it at her young age. Although, she did have a sense of what this earn meant, and would also make her own to wear. Mother, the sunshine does not love you. It runs apart and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. Now see There it is, playing, a good way off. Stand you here, and let me run and catch it. I am but a child. It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet (192). This symbolizes Pearls constant curiousity and truth, and her knowing that the letter her mother must wear retricts her from being loved by the sun, in other words, Hester must remain in the dark about her feelings, duration Pearl can stay in the sun. Again another example of Pearls free emotion, a symbolism of the Romanticism in the novel.             Al though Hester had so much trouble with Pearl, she still felt that Pearl was her treasure. Being alienated from society and without Dimmesdale to confess his part in the sin,  Pearl was really the only thing that Hester had in life.  Hester cherished Pearls existence, though she was born out of what Puritans considered a sin. Here, Pearl symbolizes a person that Hester can hold on to and claim her own, when it seems as though she has nothing left in the world.