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Scarlet Letter Pearl Quotes

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Through the common stories humans hear from birth, it becomes an assumption that the main character of the story is the name that appears most often in the text. This is just a poor example of imprinting that so often misleads humans, they simply follow basic patterns and never stray from the path. Nathaniel Hawthorne was not the average human though, he strayed from the path. In his novel The Scarlet Letter, he demonstrates that the main character, in this case Pearl, does not even have to be in a large portion of the book. Everything that occurs in the story is due to Pearl, all the events occur because of Pearl, thus demonstrating the book is written around her existence, that is what determines a main character, who effects and controls the story the most, which is often mistaken as the main focal point. While many may argue that Hester is the main character, Hawthorne clearly creates Pearl as the main character …show more content…

Hester life completely changes based on Pearl’s birth. She becomes ostracized from the town, has to wear a scarlet “A” around, and has to be a single mother because of Pearl. Every action that Hester takes in the book is based off her having Pearl, what she chooses to do and not to do all centers on Pearl. For instance, she chooses to not go to the forest with Mistress Hibbins, describe in this quote,
“‘Hist, hist!’ said she, while her ill-omened physiognomy seemed to cast a shadow over the cheerful newness of the house. ‘Wilt thou go with us to-night? There will be a merry company in the forest; and I wellnigh promised the Black Man that comely Hester Prynne should make one.’ ‘Make my excuse to him, so please you!’ answered Hester, with a triumphant smile. ‘I must tarry at home, and keep watch over my little Pearl. Had they taken her from me, I would willingly have gone with thee into the forest, and signed my name in the Black Man’s book too, and that with mine own blood!’” (Chp.

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