Example research essay topic: Scarlet Letter Hester Person In The World - 1,029 words

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In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses Pearl as a symbol of the scarlet letter "A. " He also uses Pearl as a device to make Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale accept their sin of Adultery. Pearl achieves this by making Dimmesdale confess to the town that he has committed this sin and also by making her mother see that she is not as bad a sinner as she believes. When the Puritans look at Hester and Pearl, they think that Pearl is a child of the devil and think she is a black-hearted girl because she is the result of a sin, so she starts acting like shes the devils child by throwing stones at other children and things of that nature. Pearl thinks Hester and Dimmesdale are evil too. She wants Hester to accept her sin and stop acting like shes the worst person in the world. Pearl also wants Dimmesdale to act like her father all the time, not just in secret by himself.

Hester wants to keep Pearl and says that Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too! See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved, and so endowed with a million fold the power of retribution of my sin? (Pg. 109). She also says that Pearl is the living part of her letter and causes her more pain than the letter itself, but Pearl is only difficult when she sees her mother trying to get away from her sin, and so she makes her mother continue to wear the letter. Hester doesnt think she is a good person because of her sin, but she will keep feeling that way until she accepts her sins and the fact that she made a mistake. She wants to run away from the situation and live with Dimmesdale contently as an offender with another offender and leave her transgression behind.

Pearl will not let that happen because she knows that by leaving, Hester will leave her sins in the past and keep feeling as though she is a bad person, even though she isnt if she would just accept the fact. Hester talks of leaving with Dimmesdale Let it suffice, that the clergyman resolved to flee, and not alone then Dimmesdale says, But now since I am irrevocably doomed wherefore should I not snatch the solace allowed to the condemned culprit before his execution? Or, if this be the path to a better life, as Hester would persuade me, I surely give up no fairer prospect by pursuing it! (Pg. 197). Hester desires to leave behind the world where she is looked down on as a sinner, and live a new life. Dimmesdale knows that he is going to die soon, and asks himself why he should not leave the place of his sin and go with Hester to a better life. Dimmesdale's heart is burning from the inside because of the weight of his sin, and he knows that he will die soon after he reveals his sin to the town.

Pearl wants Dimmesdale to accept his sin, and does not want her mother to run from hers, so she acts stubborn. Hester makes fleeing the town easier for her by throwing away her scarlet letter. Pearl acts as the scarlet letter by attempting to make her accept her sin. The child turned her eyes to the point indicated; and there lay the scarlet letter Hester then says, But, on very truth, she is right as regards this hateful token.

I must bear its torture just a few days longer (Pgs. 206 - 207) Pearl, who is the living embodiment of the scarlet letter, makes her mother wear the scarlet letter unless she is going to accept her sins and realizing that she is not the worst person in the world. By taking off the scarlet letter, Hester is falsely relieving herself of the sin she committed. Until she realizes that she is not the most sinful person in the world, she must wear the scarlet letter. When Hester is given the chance to remove the letter, she does not take that chance because she thinks that she still is an awful person. Pearl sees this also in her mother. Pearl will not let her mother remove the letter for the wrong reasons.

While in public, Dimmesdale, who is Pearls father, does not show or act as if he were related to her or Hester in any way. Pearl only wants Dimmesdale to accept and announce his sin before she will accept him into her life. Dimmesdale and Hester think of running away together, away from their sins, but Pearl stops them in hopes that Dimmesdale will take responsibility for what he did and confess it to the town. Dimmesdale accepts his sin: My little Pearl, said he, feebly, dear little Pearl, wilt thou kiss me now? Thou wouldst not, yonder, in the forest! But now thou wilt!

Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken. The great scene of grief, in which the wild infant bore apart, had developed all her sympathies. (Pg. 251) This moment is the exact happening that Pearl wanted throughout most of the whole book. Dimmesdale accepts his sin on the scaffold with her and Hester. When he takes responsibility for his actions, Pearl shows her affection to him. Hawthorne uses the word father involving Pearl and Dimmesdale only after he accepts his sin.

By saying A spell was broken, Hawthorne depicts that Dimmesdale had done what Pearl wants him to and what the scarlet letter needs to make Hester do, which is accept and forgive herself for her sin. Pearl truly is the living embodiment of the Scarlet Letter because she tries to make her parents accept their sins and move on with life. It was easier for Dimmesdale to accept his sin than for Hester because he died shortly after without receiving any public punishment. Hester tries to relieve herself of the burden that the letter carries, but she does it for the wrong reasons. Dimmesdale accepts his sin, and announces it to the entire town; that is exactly what Pearl wanted.

Research essay sample on Scarlet Letter Hester Person In The World