The Scarlet Letter 13

The Scarlet Letter

Chapter Six

Entry Thirteen

In the sixth chapter Pearl grew up and is focused by the author.

As you read along, you recognize that Pearl is different from normal children and even her mother, Hester Prynne, is confused by her daughter. She doesn't understand why the child she calls her own can be so strange.

To me it seems as if Hester is a bit afraid of her because Pearl is so unpredictable.

Later in the book, Pearl is described as a child like an elf and something supernatural living in her own fantasy.

I think that Pearl is just a reflection of Hester, and everything she does is like a mirror of Hester's soul.

So it is her "wild side" that wants to rebel against the prude Puritan society and the strict rules that make it impossible for her to live in peace with the man she loves.

A good example for this is when Puritan children laugh and jeer at Pearl and mother; Pearl turns around and throws stones at them. Hester couldn't act like that because she is the adult and has to behave properly even or especially in these situations, but Pearl in her childish way was able to do that.

Although it was a quite awkward situation for Hester, she agreed with her daughter and I bet she would have loved to throw stones at the entire society herself!



Although Pearl symbolizes something evil in the book I think Hawthorne likes her. In fact, I think he admires here a little bit because she is so free and innocent although she is the result of guilt, shame and hidden secrets. Pearl doesn't care about rules or laws, she just lives how she wants to.
And she is the only character in the book that is not "cattish." Everyone else has a darker side of his or her soul to hide to fit into the perfect Puritan community.