Pearl, Hester’s Treasure

A pearl, with its mellow color and exquisite appearance, stands for health and purity. As a gift of nature, it is cherished by the world. In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester, the protagonist, treats her daughter, Pearl, as her own treasure. Being the outcome of Hester’s adultery, Pearl plays an important role in her life, suffering and sharing torments with her. With Pearl’s new and transmitted vigor, she becomes a constructive force in her mother’s life. Hester described Pearl as “a doubtful charm, imparting a hard metallic luster to the child’s character” (Hawthorne 168). Pearl has a wild energy in her nature to fight against sorrow. Even though Pearl’s abnormal behavior sometimes afflicts Hester, she supports Hester’s spirit and keeps her from danger.

Frankly speaking, it is true that Pearl sometimes brings Hester some unutterable pain by performing strange actions. The narrator describes one action as, “She amused herself with gathering flowers, and flinging them, one by one, at her mother’s bosom; dancing up and down, like a little elf, whenever she hit the scarlet letter” (Hawthorne 87). She aims at Hester’s scarlet letter and throws flowers at it, which makes Hester think about her sin. Pearl’s behavior punishes Hester, and the existence of Pearl is the living embodiment of the sin. However, only through this punishment on her mind can Hester obtain her redemption and enhance her will.  Someone may also argue that “Pearl is the scarlet letter in another form, the scarlet letter endowed with life” (Hawthorne 92). The scarlet letter “A” is the representative of her soul, showing her reckless attitude toward her shame. She never hides it, while she makes the letter on her bosom colorful and attractive with the golden embroidery. Pearl, the symbol of the scarlet letter, does not become the destructive force, but brings Hester pride. Pearl is the gift from god. Hester refuses to hide the scarlet letter with Pearl when she is walking to the scaffold because she is proud of Pearl. She also buys the richest tissues that could be produced to make clothes for Pearl. The redemption and pride, along with the love and happiness, preserve Hester’s soul.

Pearl becomes Hester’s spiritual support because she brings love and happiness to her. When the governor plans to take Pearl away from Hester, she argues for the happiness that Pearl brought to her. She says, “God gave me the child! He gave her, in requital of all things else, which ye had taken from me. She is my happiness” (Hawthorne 101). As a mother, Hester gains happiness by taking care of Pearl. The ‘happiness’ strengthens their relationship that no one can separate them. The iron bond between them supports Hester’s spirit and makes her insist in the torment. Dimmesdale, Pearl’s father describes the meaning of Pearl’s existence as, “to preserve her from blacker depths of sin into which Satan might else have sought to plunge her” (Hawthorn 103). Satan is the representative of evil who can destroy the despairing soul. Hester has already lost her lover; without Pearl, Hester will have no hope to live in this world anymore. Pearl’s existence supports Hester’s spirit to insist living and suffering in the torment; she protects Hester as well.

As a notorious woman with the scarlet letter on her bosom, the status and situation of Hester is dangerous. Pearl, like a guardian, prevents her mother from getting in trouble. When the other children want to fling mud on Pearl and Hester, Pearl takes action immediately. The narrator describes Pearl’s behavior as, “Pearl, who was a dauntless child, after frowning, stamping her foot, shaking her little hands with a variety of threatening gestures, suddenly made a rush at the knot of her enemies and put them all to fight” (Hawthorn 92). The other children have evil in their mind and they use the immoral action to hurt others. However, from Pearl’s motion, and the word: ‘stamping’, ‘shaking’, and ‘rush’, it is easy to find her desire to protect her mother. When facing danger, the only person Pearl cares about is Hester. More importantly, it is Pearl who prevents Hester to go to the witch dance in the woods because Hester cherishes Pearl. If Pearl is taken by the governor and leaves Hester alone, she will be in great danger.

Pearl herself, along with the pride, redemption, happiness that she brought, helps preserve Hester’s soul and protect her from danger. Moreover, Pearl, as Hester’s treasure, reshapes Hester from a sinner with desperation to a woman with truth, loyalty, and courage. Pearl, lingered about by the light and brightened by its splendor, “never stop scintillating with vivacity in the darkness around her” (Hawthorn 167).