The Interpretation and Roles of Pearl Character in The Scarlet Letter

Pearl's Symbolism and Introduction in 'The Scarlet Letter'

Throughout the novel many characters represent and symbolize many different things. One of the most dynamic character’s when it comes to symbolism is Pearl. Although many have analyzed Pearl as simply a symbol and not a character within the novel, the argument that she is in fact a true character that symbolizes many things is up for discussion. Hawthorne consciously uses Pearl’s character to amplify the many themes of the novel. The themes of guilt, sin, isolation, forgiveness and evolution are seen more clearly through Pearl.

When Pearl is first introduced, she is only three months old, although she has not yet spoken, she is latched on to her mother Hester, while she is standing on the scaffold. This is the first time that Pearls symbolism is evident. Hawthorne portrays Hester and Pearl in this manner to characterize Pearl and her first representation of the scarlet letter on her mother’s chest. Hawthorne’s first portrayal of Pearl on the scaffold only represents her as a symbol. He says:

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She bore in her arms a child, a baby of some three months old, who winked and turned aside it’s little face from the too vivid light of day; because it’s existence, heretofore, had brought it acquainted only with the gray twilight of a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the prison. (Hawthorne 47)

This first interpretation and introduction of Pearl concentrates on her facial expressions. This winking baby turning away from the light of the sun is the first symbol of sin that is seen, along with Hester’s scarlet “A” sewn on her dress. Pearl is the physical embodiment of Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin. Hawthorne’s use of symbolism in outlines Pearls representation of the scarlet letter, that she carries within, unlike her mother who carries it upon her chest. Pearl is the living entity of Hester’s adultery, her scarlet letter personified and the living badge of Hester’s guilt.

Pearl as a Child of Nature and Her Connection to the Wilderness

Pearl is the main reason for Hester’s punishment because without the birth of Pearl no one would know of Hester’s sin. Many critics have said that Pearl is not a child but simply a symbol that represents sin and guilt. Pearls innocent face brings turning away from the son portray a true character, but Darrel Abel disagrees. In “Hawthorne’s Pearl: Symbol and Character”, he explains that Pearls first appearance on the scaffold is a representation of evil. He says, “Her reflexive turning-away from of the light of the sun, which, like the love of God and unlike the charity of his debased images, shines alike on the just and unjust, is a symbolic, not a characteristic, act” (Abel 53). Pearls character is not as simple as Abel describes. Pearl winking and turning away from the sun are all actions of a baby who tries to adapt to their surroundings. He compares this to the love of God, and therefore Pearl turning away from the sun means that she is like God, therefore she is a symbol. Abel also claims that Pearl is not born with a soul and that her role in the text is a “messenger of anguish” (Abel 62).

However, when critics analyze Pearl with many different roles, whether she is a symbol or a character in order to find her true placement within the novel, her character evolves into many different functions. In Darrel Abel’s” Hawthorne’s Pearl: Symbol and Character”, he connects Pearl with nature, describing her as “a Child of Nature”. Abel says:

Pearl in her most fundamental character as a Child of Nature. She is of course a “natural child: in the euphemistic sense of the phrase. But a Child of Nature is properly speaking one who discovers conscious and valuable affinities with the natural world and enjoys an active and formative relationship with the world […] Little Pearl manifests this relationship between man and nature; her life and the life of nature are contiguous and sympathetic modes of being. Therefore, Hawthorne observed: “The mother forest, and these wild things which it nourished, all recognized a kindred wilderness in the human child” This “wilderness” however, is not the wilderness of savagery but the wilderness of innocence. (Abel 56-7)

Pearls innocence and connection to nature is significant because it not only portrays her character, but it also shows her connection with others around her. Her special relationship with nature is what makes Pearl so different from others.

However, in order to understand how Hawthorne connects Pearl and nature, the connection between Pearl and Hawthorne’s daughter, Una needs to be examined. Una was Hawthorne’s first daughter and he deemed her to be very talented. He to viewed her as a natural child in the same manner that he viewed Pearl. In T. Walter Herbert, JR’s article, “Nathaniel Hawthorne, Una Hawthorne, and The Scarlet Letter”, he discusses the many similarities of Pearl and Hawthorne’s daughter Una. He says:

Little Pearl is made to enact the qualities that most troubled Hawthorne in his daughter, and she is eventually delivered from them. Hawthorne surrounds little Pearl, that is to say, with therapeutic program, which includes a diagnosis of her difficulty and a prescription for cure, grounded on the gender categories that he considered natural and that defined a femininity he hoped his daughter would grow into (Herbert 287)

Pearl's Representation of Femininity and Patriarchy

Pearl’s role in The Scarlet Letter is one that is meant to define femininity, just as Hawthorne believed Una would. Una’s uncanny and alien like character caused her to become a creature of her father’s imagination. There are many similarities between Una and Pearl. They were both raised free from the strict rules and beliefs of Puritan schooling, which is why Pearl mirrors Una. This imaginary character, Pearl, that Hawthorne created defined patriarchy and was left unmarked by it. Pearls unexplainable behave within the Puritan community was simply because she was a wild spirit. Despite the many restrictions and rules that were placed on her, she did not abide. Pearls character is viewed as an evil power because she refuses to conform to patriarchy, she is unable to connect with other children around her because they did not accept her.

Pearls reaction to the other children around her is a direct characterization of herself. Her need to react in a manner that is not seen as ordinary, explains her representation of femininity and patriarchy. Pearl refuses to conform to the society around her, like her mother. Although both Hester and Pearl are ostracized from society, Pearl does not fight to be accepted the same way as her mother because she tries to break through the barriers of social norms. Despite Pearl’s young age, Hawthorne exemplifies her as a strong female character.

During the Puritan times in which the novel takes place women and children were treated very harshly. Women were viewed as the tools of Satan due to Eve’s role in the original sin in the bible, they were seen as weak, because they were more inclined to sin. When it came to Puritan children, they were loved but parents made them adhere to strict rules. Children were a direct representation of their parents, therefore if a child did not behave in a manner that was socially acceptable, their parents would be to blame. They believed that the wills of children had to be broken and supervised under strict rules.

Pearl's Interaction with Other Characters and Society

The characteristics of Puritan children are not seen in Pearl. She is a character that symbolizes many different things and conformity is not one of them. The other children do not get to play in the forest like Pearl, because it is seen as a forbidden place, therefore Pearls connection to nature is more profound. Pearls connection with nature portrays her as a symbolic mystical character even though she isn’t. She is often referred to by her mother and others around her as “elf-child” or “imp”, these references depict Pearl as an imaginary character, a symbol. She is seen as a mystical, demonic character because she does not behave in the same manner as other children. Her wit and wild character cause her to be further outcast by others within society. When Pearl and Hester go to the governor’s house, he threatens to take her away because she is not raised religiously and is thought to posses something evil, like a witch. Hawthorne portrays Pearl in this way to keep his readers intrigued but also to make them think. Although the novel is set during Puritan times, Hawthorne includes the power of imagination and nature vs natural. Pearls characterization as an “elf” or “imp” furthers the discussion of her character symbolizing romanticism. In her character Hawthorne implements all of the themes of romanticism; she is imaginative, smart, an inspiration to her mother, and one with nature.

When Pearl is teased by other Puritan children her reaction is to throw rocks and scream at them. This shows Pearls true characteristics and that she is not only a symbol of sin, but it also shows her being rebellious. Instead of trying to befriend the other children, she screams at them. Pearl’s scream is described as something like a witch. Often times when playing by herself, Pearl makes up imaginary characters. Pearls playtime usually take place within nature, which brings back Pearl being a child of nature. Pearls connection to nature provides her with a connection with the rest of the world. Although she is not a part of the Puritan world and is an outcast, Abel claims that “[Hawthorne] did not see man as a creature separate from the rest of creation, inhabiting a visible world irrational and dead” (Abel 56). This is evident when Pearl is playing alone in the woods, using only her imagination and objects around her. Hawthorne says:

“Her one baby-voice served a multitude of imaginary personages, old and young, to talk withal. The pine-trees, aged, black, and solemn, and flinging groans and other melancholy utterances on the breeze, needed little transformation to figure as Puritan elders; the ugliest weeds of the garden were their children, whom Pearl smote down and uprooted, most unmercifully.” (Hawthorne 81)

Pearl's Imaginative World and Her Role as a Symbol

Pearls need to make up imaginary friends is something that many young children do, but the way that Pearls goes about this is very odd. She uses her imagination while playing outside to portray the Puritans and their children in an evil manner. This may simply be because of the way that they treat her and her mother, but here Hawthorne has un underlining message. Pearls need to portray Puritans in a negative and hateful light is very much necessary. Hawthorne’s reasoning behind this is because Pearl is the contender of Puritan law. Despite Pearl being young, her childlike-adult nature causes her to be very honest. She could have simply used her imagination to pretend that the other Puritan children are very fond of her, but she doesn’t. This is because Pearl is not searching for acceptance amongst others, only herself. Pearl is not in any way affected by Puritan life because the only thing that is of great interest and influence to her is the forest and the nature around her. She defies the Puritans law because she is always cheerful when she is amongst nature, although this should be some form of punishment for Pearl because she is outcasted, but she embraces it since that is the only place that she is openly accepted.

Throughout Pearls journey in search of acceptance from herself, she also has a fear of abandonment. Pearls fear of abandonment is not that she fears that her mother will ever leave her, but the fear that her mother no longer accepts her for what she is; the physical embodiment of sin. During their years of isolation from society Pearl has only known her mother in one way and that is wearing the scarlet letter. Hawthorne often describes Pearl trying to create her own golden scarlet letter and placing it on her chest like her mothers. Hawthorne does this to say in so many words that Pearl is the personification of Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin.

While in the forest with Hester and Dimmesdale, Pearl throws a fit because her mother is no longer wearing her scarlet letter and has let her black long hair out for all to see. This upsets Pearl because it made her feel as if her mother was getting rid of her also. Hester removing her scarlet letter is as if she is removing Pearl from her life. Pearls main symbol throughout the novel is the physical embodiment of Hester’s sin, therefore if her mother is no longer wearing her “A” then where does Pearl fit in to all of this. Her mother’s change in the forest not only upsets her, but also scares her. For a short moment she questions who she is without her mother’s scarlet letter. What does she now represent? Due to Pearl’s mature character she is expresses this to her mother, “But Pearl, not whit startled at her mother’s threats […] now suddenly burst into a fit of passion, gesticulating violently, and throwing her small figure into the most extravagant contortions. […] still pointing it’s small forefinger at Hester’s bosom!” (Hawthorne 192). Here Pearls actions are the natural characters of a child that is throwing a tantrum, but for Pearl it is more complex. Here actions are not complex because her mother denied her of something or tried to reprimand her, but because she is lost in a place that is so familiar to her. Her mother’s removal of the scarlet letter puts her in a state of shock.

Conclusion: Pearl's Complex Character and Symbolic Significance

Pearl’s representation of her parents’ sin is the only thing that is familiar to her. Her desire to often communicate with her own reflection includes her mother. Pearl sees Hester as a reflection of herself because she bears the scarlet letter. There are many instances where she tries to create her own scarlet letter and place it upon her bosom to show that her and her mother are the same. They are both ostracized from society and don’t fit in anywhere because they aren’t meant to. When Hester lets her hair down in the forest it is because that is the only place she feel comfortable and acceptable to do this; this is the same way that Pearl feels when they are together within nature. Pearl identifies with nature because it is accepting of her and will never abandon her. That is where she feels at home.