Comparing Pearl And Dimmesdale In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

From her initial introduction to the reader as the “yonder babe, (…) of some three or four months old”, Pearl represents the beauty of the truth (54). As she struggles to find answers about her mother’s scarlet A while simultaneously growing up, Pearl identifies as an innocent character, despite her creation. It is frequently noted that she looks similar to the scarlet letter that her mother so reluctantly bears, with her “bright complexion [and] eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow, and hair already of a deep, glossy brown” (76). Her similar appearance to the scarlet letter furthers her permanent connection to the letter. Additionally, it highlights the notion that her mother will likely never be able to look at her without reminiscing upon her sin. As Pearl develops, her fire-like actions and dark appearance further molds her into the fleshly expression of Hester’s adultery. Furthermore, Hawthorne ensures to characterize Pearl throughout the novel as a friend to the sunlight, a friend to the truth. As she begins to pick determine that Dimmesdale is her father, the sunlight welcomes her. This is because she is the only innocent character who is not afraid to step into the sun’s rays. Pearl recognizes the light’s love for her and audibly notes, “the

Along the story, Dimmesdale had sudden changes that change his life completely. Initially, he was a righteous Puritan minister that gained the respect of his community, but he committed a sin. Arthur had relations with a married woman named Hester Prynne and has result of that, they had a baby whose name was Pearl, and she was the proof of the sin. He knows that he was the father, but his fear was so big that hi cowardice gained him and decided to shut up. This tells us his first change, from a sincere person to one who hides the truth.

In chapters 9-16 of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the story shifts more towards the plights and character interactions of the young minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Due to the poor health of Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, as the town physician, had come to live with him, and the two had become close friends. For seven years, Chillingworth did his best to tend to the minister while simultaneously tormenting him with psychological barbs by expounding on the necessity of confessing one's sins. Dimmesdale is not aware that Chillingworth is Hester's husband or that he knows Dimmesdale was her lover, but he does not need this incentive to be plagued by guilt. The man routinely attempts to atone for his sins by self-flagellation, starvation, and sleep-deprivation, all in

In The Scarlet Letter, the letter A has a symbolic meaning that seemed to change as the

Hester, Pearl, Roger, and Dimmesdale are all saved and have made up for their sins. Their suffering has made up for their wrong-doings in the mortal world, and in the afterlife they can expect to walk up to the Gates of Heaven without any issue. The four may have had many sins, but they are only human and have human error. Before perishing they atone for their sins, making it useless to continue to torture them for eternity.

The Scarlet Letter Dimmesdale could be a hero or a coward in hiding his sin from the Puritan community, but based on the evidence in the book, he is portrayed as a coward. In the book he continues his daily life as he usually would have, he has many chances to admit that he was the other person to participate in the sin with Hester, and he doesn’t continually pressure Hester into telling who the father of Pearl is. First of all, Dimmesdale continued his daily life as if he hadn’t sinned with Hester. For example, during the punishment of Hester he allowed himself to remain above the community with the other powerful people instead of not going to her punishment. This also showed when he appeared with Bellingham, Wilson, and Chillingworth in Bellingham’s house.

She touches the scarlet letter, but little does she know that she is the reason for the punishment. They are social outcasts, so they don’t leave their house much. Pearl plays alone and has best friends that are imaginary. She distrusts her own imaginary friends for the same reason that she distrusts all the Puritans in the colony. People treat Hester and Pearl differently than everyone else is treated. She only loves Hester, because Hester spends time with her and is a good mother. She plays with her and teaches her Bible stories. Pearl knows the whole catechism at the age of three, but refuses to say it to anyone. She is smarter than everyone thinks she is. Chillingworth speaks to Pearl about the scarlet letter. He asked her if she knew the reason why her mother must wear the scarlet letter all the time. She replies, “Yes, that is the same reason why the preacher holds his hand over his heart.” Pearl asks her mom all the time the reason why she wears the scarlet letter and why the preacher holds his hand over his heart. She knows that they both do, but she doesn’t know why. Hester tells her that she wears it because of the pretty gold thread, but she doesn’t know the minister’s reason. Later in the story, Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl meet in the forest, and Hester rips the scarlet letter off. Pearl gets mad then, because she knows that her mother is supposed to wear it. Dimmesdale kisses Pearl, but she washes the kiss off with

“Imagination is the key ingredient to overcoming fear and doubt.” Throughout “The Scarlet Letter”, Nathaniel Hawthorne tends to emphasize the intensity of Pearl’s imagination by describing the way Pearl saw the world around her and by talking about the way the people who noticed her vivid imagination, referred to her as a “witch-child”. In “The Scarlet Letter”, Pearl grows up secluded from the rest of the children in the New World. She learns to entertain herself and keep herself company by using her imagination. This is one big example of Pearl overcoming the hardships that she grew up with. As the book progresses, and as Pearl gets older, we see her overcome more hardships she is challenged with to create a strong, independent young girl. The poem provided written by Emily Dickinson comes to show how overcoming Pearl’s hardships led her to blossom from a strong, independent young girl, into an even stronger, successful woman.

The stigma of sin haunts the history of the Puritan community, Hester wore the scarlet letter as a reminder to herself and the community of her grave sin of committing adultery. In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Hester Pryne commits adultery and in result has to wear the scarlet letter for the rest of her life. Pearl the result of her mother's sin is a living, breathing example of sin. Pearl is seen as a demon because of her evil nature, a series of events occur which changes the puritan community's thoughts on Pearl by the end of the novel.

Dimmesdale. Ye have both been here before, but i was not with you. Come up, hither once again, and we will stand all three together!” She silently ascended the steps, and stood on the platform, holding little pearl by the hand. The minister felt for the child's other hand and took it “ (Hawthorne 143) From here they are starting to become closer and you notice the closeness that they have bythe way that they all stood together under the moon holding hands. Pearl feels liberated because even though it's night you are still able to see people around. It also implies that they are able to get through the struggles but does not affect them all that much because sooner than later Dimmesdale admits that he is the father of Pearl and Hester kisses Dimmesdale immediately “Partly supported by Hester Prynne, and holding one hand of little Pearl’s the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale turned to dignified the venerable rulers; to the holy ministers, who were his brethren; to the people, whose great heart was thoroughly appalled yet overflowing with tearful sympathy” (Hawthorne 379) It’s able to explain how truthful he was to share out his family and how Pearl accepted to grab his hand in front of all the people. Since she’s been truthful the whole time she was blessed with good fortune after Dimmesdale had died. She met a man who she married and

Cowardice Many fear that their bad actions of becoming public since their reputations would be in jeopardy. Throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dimmesdale demonstrates to be a lowly coward who worries more to preserve his reputation and save himself from shame. Although Dimmesdale greatly suffered in silence after his sin, he was never brave enough to confess his sin making him a lowly coward. Dimmesdale demonstrated to be a lowly coward because he had many opportunities to confess himself, one being up on the scaffold.

Due to the fact the Dimmsdale neglects that he is the father of Pearl it leds him to have agonizing guilt. In the story, every time Pearl and Dimmesdale are in the same room or spot at the same time it seems he, “. . . to press his hand against his heart (Hawthorne 83).” This is a sign of the pain that he feels in his chest is festering inside of him every time that he is seen near Pearl. Guilt is normally held within the chest and due to the fact that he is feeling so much guilt and pain; he decides to carve a letter “A” into his chest to signifi the actual guilt and pain he feels around Pearl. When Pearl and Dimmesdale are in the woods together and he leans down and kisses her and pearl wipes it off the kiss. This makes him realize that Pearl

The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne occurs in Massachusetts, Boston. Hester Prynne committed adultery and is ridiculed for it, and the citizens of the town are to ponder the father of Pearl. Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl, and Chillingworth makes it his destiny to publicly shame him and torment him for the rest of his life.

In the ninth through eighteenth chapters of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, many things are established. The characters in the novel are beginning to be fully characterized, Pearl is described as “elvish” and to have an “elf-smile in her eyes” and at such a young age Pearl displays a supernatural intelligence that most three year-old’s do not possess. Pearl is a living example representing the sin of adultery that Hester Prynne, her mother, has committed, which connects to the theme. Pearl is very much alike her mother Hester, because of their captivating beauty. Another character development is the evolution of Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale’s illness. Dimmesdale becomes extremely ill, and he punishes himself because of the sin he committed which was also adultery, with Hester Prynne. Dimmesdale slowly begins to attempt to reveal his sinfulness through his sermons, but this leads his congregation to believe he is very holy and could never be a sinful being. Hawthorne uses dramatic irony, through this situation because the reader knows who the father of Pearl is and that Dimmesdale committed adultery, but the people of the

In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne characterizes Pearl with contrasting personalities and roles she plays in Hester’s life. Pearl’s conflicting personality components, innocence and defiance, both derive from her isolation from society, which transpired because of her mother’s sin. Pearl represents the conflict between everything good and dark, which reflects in the role she plays in Hester’s life, as the physical embodiment of the A. While Pearl serves as a savior to Hester, representing possible redemption, she is also Hester’s tormentor, a constant reminder of her sin, and the consequences of disobeying her Puritan nature and religion. Hawthorne’s intent is established in the novel through Pearl’s attachment to the A, the mirror