Chapter Nineteen
Entry Fifty-Three
“Doth he love us?” said Pearl, looking up with acute intelligence into her mother’s face. “Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into the town?”This is the condition Pearl has if her mother wants her to accept Dimmesdale. Like so many times earlier, she behaves like an adult. She asks the right questions in the right moment and always hits the mark although I don't think she still needs to pose this question. She knows the answer, if she would not she wouldn't have reacted so strangely. She felt that honesty was missing. She only asks because she has to state the falsehood and to make the adults see what they are doing is hypocrisy.
The next question she has is:
"And will he always keep his hand over his heart?"Will he always reveal the secret? Will there be a time when is honest?
Honesty and truth is one of the most important elements for children. A childhood is not until then good, when it is based on truth. In this novel, Pearl symbolizes truth, as well as nature does. Both react immediately when something is wrong or sinful. They are guardians of right and wrong, always observant and ever-present.
Good thesis that Pearl and nature symbolize truth.
ReplyDeleteNote: As long as Dimmesdale has his hand over his heart, he is hiding something.