Most would consider young children to be unassuming, innocent, or naïve creatures who are unfamiliar with the scope of life. Under certain circumstances, however, some children are forced to develop rapidly, interacting with the world in ostensibly foreign ways. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl Prynne grows to become an evident example of this quality. Born an illegitimate child, Pearl was forced to navigate Puritan Massachusetts under constant scrutiny and scornful tempers. Puritan societal norms considered children born out of wedlock unholy and labeled as ‘bastards.’ Children such as Pearl had no standing in society with fewer rights and freedoms, legally unable to claim their biological parents (Teichman 60). While Pearl’s setting connected her to sin, it also caused her to develop great emotional intelligence and revealed her complexity in themes of beauty and hope.
As the product of adultery, Hawthorne portrays Pearl as the living embodiment of her mother’s sin, creating societal and visual connections to affirm this notion. Hawthorne describes how Hester harbored intense “anguish and despair” from her sin, and unknowingly projected these qualities onto Pearl (Hawthorne 47). In turn, Pearl felt physical agony, “writh[ing] in convulsions of pain” upon “drawing sustenance from [her] maternal bosom,” further underscoring Pearl’s connection to her mother’s torment (Hawthorne 47). As Hester’s adultery is the most relevant and emotionally intense aspect of her life, Pearl naturally gravitated toward this quality in her development; condemning her as the echo of her mother’s worst qualities. Hester’s parenting style and actions further asserted Pearl’s connection to sin. For example, in spite of the townspeople’s judgment, Hester allowed Pearl to embrace her naturally wild and strange nature, fostering an untrainable, seemingly demonic demeanor in Pearl. Societal norms within Pearl’s community also naturally bond sin to her character, furthering the impact her setting had on this quality. Most notably, however, Hester dressed Pearl in a way that “reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom,” establishing a strong visual connection between Pearl and Hester’s sin (Hawthorn 67). In affirming this notion, Hester establishes a sense of ownership toward Pearl as her daughter and sin, demonstrating that Pearl, in a way, is the scarlet letter. Hawthorne further perpetuates Pearl’s connection with sin by building a sense of dependency on that very quality. Most notably, in chapter nineteen, Pearl “burst [s] into a fit of passion” upon learning Hester removed her letter (Hawthorne 143). This reaction is expected, however, since in rejecting her sin, Hester is simultaneously rejecting her daughter. Pearl’s relationship with her setting also demands a unique experience with humanity.
Through her relationship with her community and sin, Pearl developed a highly defensive, isolating nature toward others, developing great emotional maturity as a result. Since Pearl was born an illegitimate child and forced to endure public humiliation from birth, she developed a callous nature toward others. Pearl saw life as a constant fight, developing no friends and “seem[ing] always to be sowing broadcast the dragon’s teeth, whence sprung a harvest of armed enemies, against whom she rushed to battle,” emphasizing her social isolation (Hawthorne 63). In her resistance and hesitation toward society as a whole, Pearl incites a sense of fear and confusion within the townspeople. Pearl’s ‘unholy’ status likewise exacerbates her separation from the community. John Willson even believes Pearl to be one of the “naughty elfs or fairies whom we thought to have left behind us… in merry old England,” furthering her disconnect with general humankind (Hawthorne 73). Both Pearl and Hester, however, do not attempt to change or conceal this quality; instead, she left Pearl to develop relatively independently, causing great frustration in the community. Due to her seclusion from society, Pearl spent all of her time observing others, resulting in sharp emotional intelligence and keen instinct. Throughout the text, Hawthorne exhibits a level of emotional understanding within Pearl that far exceeds her age. In the governor’s house, for example, Pearl thanks Dimmsdale with “… a caress so tender, and withal so unobtrusive, that her mother, who was looking on, asked herself—’Is that my Pearl?’” contrasting her consistently wild behavior (Hawthorne 77). Furthermore, Pearl acts in a way that indicates genuine appreciation and gentleness, revealing her understanding of the situation and possibly a paternal connection with Dimmesdale. In chapter fifteen, Pearl also acknowledged a connection between Dimmesdale and Hester, describing that Hester wears the scarlet letter “for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart,” a connection that no character had yet made (Hawthorne 121). In her ability to make accurate assumptions and ascertain the subtleties of others, Pearl establishes a unique dynamic with her seemingly superhuman social intuition and seclusion from society. While Hawthorne upholds a clear connection between Pearl, sin, and social isolation, there also exists great complexity within her character.
Hawthorne contrasts what was immediately apparent in Pearl’s character by emphasizing themes of beauty and hope in her development and relationship with her mother. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne underscores an “infinite variety” within Pearl’s character, as though “in this one child there were many children” (Hawthorne 60). Specifically, Hawthorne contrasts Pearl’s uncouth, wild, and untrainable demeanor with a hopeful, “rich and luxuriant beauty” (Hawthorne 67). In making this distinction, Hawthorne proves Pearl is not one dimensional, and asserts the impact her setting has on her nature. For example, Hawthorne continually draws a connection between Pearl and rose bushes. Seen first outside the prison and again at the governor’s house, the rose bushes represent Pearl’s natural beauty and the potential for her character to flourish in even the most desolate of places. Hawthorne also uses Pearl’s relationship with sunlight as a symbol of purity and hope. Specifically, Hawthorne contrasts Pearl and Hester’s experience with sunlight, where the sun is “afraid of something on [Hester’s] bosom,” Pearl is free to bask in its light, unburdened by her mother’s shadow. This contrast indicates that the sun avoids Hester because of her sin and illuminates Pearl since she is truly innocent (Hawthorne 125). Through these ideas, Hawthorne reveals that Pearl has the capacity to leave her mother’s sinful past behind, building greater promise for her future. With the ability to grow unfettered by the weight of Hester’s sin, Pearl’s disposition also extends to her mother. Since Pearl is the only person Hester has in the world, she acts as great emotional security and provides Hester with purpose. Furthermore, Dimmesdale argues that Pearl will “remind [Hester], at every moment, of her fall, but yet teach her… that, if she brings the child to heaven, the child also will bring its parents thither” (Hawthorne 76). In Dimmesdale’s eyes, Pearl acts as another permanent reminder of Hester’s sin, while providing a path toward sanctity for Pearl and herself. Hester’s development as a character is also significant when considering Pearl’s character. While the scarlet letter originally represented sin and infidelity, Hester transformed its meaning by becoming more involved in the community. Particularly, the townspeople described the letter as comparable to “the cross on a nun’s bosom,” highlighting unusual forgiveness in the interpretation of Hester’s sin (Hawthorne 110). Considering Pearl is an extension of the scarlet letter, it is reasonable to assume she shares similar connotations, deviating from her rigid connection to sin.
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne continually affirms Pearl’s relationship to sin through her development, relationship with her mother, and societal influence. While firmly establishing Pearl’s connection to sin, Hawthorne also incorporates great depth within her character. Often, Hawthorne used themes of hope and beauty when describing Pearl in contrast to what was immediately apparent. In her complex character and background, Pearl does not relate to her community, forcing her to become an extreme outsider. Experiencing this isolation, however, allows Pearl to become remarkably observant and emotionally mature from a young age. Pearl Prynne’s relationship with sin and the further layers of her character reveals the impactful influence both her setting and culture had on her development.
.
Bibliography
Teichman, Jenny. Illegitimacy: An Examination of Bastard. Cornell University Press, 1982. Digital file.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Independently published, 2020.