Pearl Essay

A Different Type of Redemption

For many, a higher power exists and represents a force that forgives and aids those who may struggle through life’s many plights. The setting for the novel involves Puritan theocracy where religion plays a very impactful role in the lives of society.  In Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, Hester suffers the penance of her sin throughout her life; however, God mitigates some of this pain by bestowing her a daughter. Pearl is Hester’s source of joy and chance at redemption as she saves her from the devil, defends her on numerous occasions, and represents her journey towards innocence. 

To start off, Hawthorne’s narrator proves Pearl’s aid to  Hester with the use of symbolism when she prevents her mother from being taken away by the devil. Sinful Hester Prynne is invited to join the devil at a party in the forest but is saved as she must return home to her daughter. The narrator observes, “But here—if we suppose this interview betwixt Mistress Hibbins and Hester Prynne to be authentic, and not a parable—was already an illustration of the young minister’s argument against sundering the relation of a fallen mother to the offspring of her frailty. Even thus early had the child saved her from Satan’s snare” (Hawthorne 108). The party mentioned by Mistress Hibbons and the meeting with the devil symbolizes Hester’s temptation for the devil and her descent towards hell as she can’t escape this “snare” and embodies the sin by wearing the Scarlet Letter. Evidently, this is not the outcome as Pearl needs to be cared for back home and Hester therefore has an excuse not to sign her name in blood for the devil. Though not intentional, Pearl saves her mother from a horrible future and definitely puts her back on her path towards redemption of her innocence even. This could be considered as a feat considering Pearl was raised in isolation by her mother.

But here—if we suppose this interview betwixt Mistress Hibbins and Hester Prynne to be authentic, and not a parable—was already an illustration of the young minister’s argument against sundering the relation of a fallen mother to the offspring of her frailty. Even thus early had the child saved her from Satan’s snare

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Furthermore, the theme of nature versus nurture is very present as Pearl must be raised by Hester in confinement, and if she proves her teachings could lead to virtue and righteousness in a girl created from sin, both Pearl and Hester could ascend to heaven. Pearl is Hester’s hope and joy and she is the student Hester must teach in order to prove her worthiness of innocence and be forgiven after all. Dimmesdale recognizes this, pointing out, “Therefore it is good for this poor, sinful woman, that she hath an infant immortality, a being capable of eternal joy or sorrow, confided to her care—to be trained up by her to righteousness— to remind her, at every moment, of her fall—but yet to teach her, as it were by the Creator’s sacred pledge, that, if she bring the child to heaven, the child also will bring its parents thither!”(Hawthorne 106). It is apparent that Pearl will grow to be an exact image of how she is brought up by her mother as she is nurtured by her and doesn’t interact with anyone else, emphasizing that society can’t help her if she’s with Hester. This is important as Hester could prove to everyone that she has fundamental values and virtue that could be passed down to her daughter by respecting this “sacred pledge”. If Pearl goes to heaven, meaning that she has been brought up well by Hester, her once sinful mother would have proved herself worthy of also ascending and forgiven by God and the community.

Ultimately, Hawthorne manifests that Pearl is there to protect Hester from the outside world and everyone against her through foreboding. A dark figure named Roger Chillingworth who happened to once be Hester’s husband seeks revenge and becomes a dangerous figure that spreads his demons through his changing personality. Pearl declares,“Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, mother or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!”(Hawthorne 124). Pearl warns her mother about the black man(Roger Chillingworth) who has already started catching his first victim(Dimmesdale), which could forebode his demise. Pearl recognizes this as she is very keen for her age and warns her mom of the dangers of this man, ultimately saving her from his demons and helping her stay aware of the situation. Pearl is quite obviously Hester’s way out of satan’s “snare”.

In essence, Pearl is a source of joy and redemption sent form the Heavenly Father as she saves Pearl from the devil, protects her from dangerous characters, and represents redemption as Pearl is her student who must succeed for Hester to obtain forgiveness. Though Pearl could represent all these great things for Hester, could she herself be happy and live a normal life even if her lone presence is the result of a sin?