Hester’s Blessing

When most people see babies they connect them to something in their own inner nature that is pure, vulnerable, helpless, and uncorrupt. However, in the Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl is seen by many as a demon or devil-child because she is the embodiment of her mother’s sin. Hester, Pearls own mother “couldn’t help questioning, at some moments, whether Pearl was a human child.” This leads many to wonder,  is Pearl a blessing or a lesson for Hester? Though Pearl did clench her fist and harden her features at her mother. What child doesn’t throw a temper tantrum? Although Pearl does get mad, she is a blessing for her mother by protecting her, connecting Dimmesdale to be with her, and gives Hester a new outlook on life.

Pearls genuine palpable self is shown when she helps protect her mother against the townspeople in their Puritan society who stare at and taunt Hester as a result of the scarlet letter. One day while Hester was walking through town with Pearl,  a group of children saw them and began to fling mud at them. Pearl is protecting her mother by scaring away the children who are coming after her and Hester:

“But Pearl, who was a dauntless child, after frowning, stomping her foot, and shaking her little hand with a variety of threatening gestures, suddenly made a rush at the knot of her enemies, and put them all to flight. She resembled, in her fierce pursuit of them, an infant pestilence, … She screamed and shouted, too, with a terrific volume of sound, which doubtless caused the hearts of the fugitives to quake within them. The victory accomplished, Pearl returned quietly to her mother, and looked up smiling into her face.” (Hawthorne 92).

Pearl charges at the indecent children herself to defend her mother against a group of children who wanted to fling mud at them. Pearls actions to dart at the children with a face full of fury saved her mother from further humiliation, this shows just how benevolent Pearls heart is. Pearl not only protects her mother from devilish children, but also from the Devil himself. Since Hester had sinned, her mind heads to a dark place and she wonders if she is connected to the devil. Hester asks herself, “Art thou like Black Man that haunts the forest round us? Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?” (Hawthorne 69). Hester questions the Black man and her bond with him but never goes to see him. Hester later on in the story says to Mistress Hibbins that she would go see the Black man if Pearl wasn’t in her life. Hester’s response to Mistress Hibbins shows that if Pearl wasn’t in her mother’s life, Hester would go to see the Black man in the woods and sign her soul to him. Pearls presence in her mother’s life of despair protects her from going insane and bestowing the devil with her soul. These two illustrations show how Pearl’s presence and actions are beneficial towards protecting her mother’s life.  

Pearl not only guards her mother against harm’s way but connects her with her lover Dimmesdale. Throughout the story, Hester and Dimmesdale share an unspoken love for one another. The two can’t be together because if the public finds out punishments will be presented upon Dimmesdale.  However, Pearl brings Dimmesdale and Hester together by showing love for Dimmesdale and making him feel wanted in the family. Dimmesdale feels the love of Pearl when the narrator describes how Pearls watching him. “Even the poor baby, at Hester’s bosom, was affected by the same influence; for it directed its hitherto vacant gaze towards Mr. Dimmesdale, and held up its arms, with a half pleased, half plaintive murmur.” Pearls love for Dimmesdale is shown in this quote. This connects to Dimmesdale and Hester’s love because it shows Dimmesdale, the yearning affection his “family” has for him. When Dimmesdale is shown this, it affects him emotionally (Hawthorne 61). His emotion wraps him in and he then comes to realize how much Hester and Pearl mean to him too.  Pearl being born was a blessing to Hester because Hester was able to be with the man she loved, and not someone she didn’t love like Chillingworth. The narrator shows in chapter six how Dimmesdale and Hester were pulled together because of Pearl’s birth by saying, “ We have as yet hardly spoken of the infant; that little creature, whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion.” (Hawthorne 81). Dimmesdale and Hester’s “guilty passion” created Pearl, which leads to a blossoming in Dimmesdale and Hester’s relationship because without Pearl they wouldn’t have accepted their love for one another.

In addition to Pearl connecting Dimmesdale and Hester together, she blesses her mother by giving her a new outlook on life. Throughout Hester’s life in the Puritan society, she has been an outcast, but Pearls companionship has brought her joy and love. Pearls name is a direct correspondence to the deep affection Hester has for her daughter by naming her because she was “of great price, — purchased with all she had,– her mother’s only treasure!” (Hawthorne 80). Hester’s most prized possession is Pearl and her name exemplifies this perfectly because it shows how Hester’s life revolves around her child and that she would do anything for her. After the cheating scandal came to life, and Hester stood on the scaffold, she had no one to comfort her or be there for her. Ever since Pearl had begun to grow she becomes more loving to her mother and the two are always together. Hester is affected by this because she is then allowed to have the ability to love again, and has someone to rely on in her life even if it’s just her child. Hester says “She is my happiness!– she is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life!” (Hawthorne 101). Hester becomes so in love with Pearl that she says “Ye shall not take her! I will die first!” in saying this Hester illustrates her love for her daughter and that she won’t let anyone take her happiness. (Hawthorne 101).

Pearl is a blessing in her mother’s life and has protected her mother from devilish children and the persuasive force of the Black Man. Pearl is a pure individual who has a gracious heart and has made certain choices that have brought peace and sanity back into her mother’s life. Pearl does this by protecting Hester, connecting her back with Dimmesdale, and giving her a new positive outlook on life that enabled her to love again.