Post by Dominick on Dec 20, 2008 17:45:40 GMT -5
This is the rough draft. I had to make a statement about a character.... and prove it and say what Hawthorne was saying about Puritan society.
Is it actually possible to prove that a character in a book is in fact, not a character in that work of literature? In The Scarlet Letter a character, Pearl, is the daughter of Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. This birth is the result of an act of adultery, so it is condoned by the Puritan society. Hester is punished by public humiliation, she must wear a scarlet letter on her breast at all times. However, Pearl is not a character in the book, but rather a physical embodiment, or symbol, of Hester, her mother’s, inner feelings, desires, and passions. Every symbol must have its relevance. Hawthorne wrote in this symbol to say something about the Puritan society.
To begin, through out the book Dimmesdale, Pearl, and Hester have several meetings. In each of these Dimmesdale is in private and talks to Pearl and Hester. Pearl wonders why he will never be seen in public with them. On the scaffold where Hester received her public humiliation, at night, Dimmesdale stood with Hester and Pearl. Here Pearl said, “‘But wilt thou promise,’ asked Pearl, ‘to take my hand, and my mother’s hand to-morrow noontide?’” (Hawthorne 127). Dimmesdale later refused this offer. Hester and Pearl are sad, but Hester knew that would happen from the beginning so it doesn’t affect her as much. Another instance of Pearl showing her resentment of Dimmesdale is in the forest, after Dimmesdale and Hester have decided to run off to Europe. Pearl says to Hester,“‘Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into the town?’”(Hawthorne 175). Here Pearl asks again, if Dimmesdale will join them in the town, but Hester tells her he won’t. Pearl then continues to treat Dimmesdale will no respect and very rudely. Hester loves Dimmesdale, so she must want to spend time with him, but she can’t. She wants him to be there when people aren’t looking, but even more when they’re not. Thus, Hawthorne wrote Pearl nagging Dimmesdale to stand with them in public, so Hester’s inner desire could at least be shown from some sort of view.
Secondly, in one instance Pearl was reluctant to her own mother, Hester. In the forest Hester took off her scarlet letter, and she called Pearl over so she could meet Dimmesdale formally. Pearl refuses until Hester puts the scarlet letter back on and Pearl replied, “‘Now thou art my mother indeed.’” (Hawthorne 174). This is proof that Hester really didn’t want to take the letter off. Pearl is representing Hester’s inner guilt for taking it off. Hester feels awful, so Pearl shows how she felt awful. Hester even says to Chillingworth earlier in the book, “‘Were I worthy to be quit of it, [the scarlet letter] it would fall away of its own nature…”(Hawthorne 139). Hester shows that she has no intention to removed her mark, and later she removes it because she feels like she should be free. Hester deep down inside feels terrible and guilty. It is her punishment, she should pay for her sins. Pearl just reminds Hester of how she really feels.
Lastly, and most blatantly, Pearl is a representation of Hester’s sexual drive, in all essence. Pearl is a direct result of an act of adultery, there’s no argument there. Pearl therefore is, to everyone in the town, a representation of Hester’s sexual emotions, desires, and passions. She represents everything Hester has done, she is Hester’s sin. Hester and Dimmesdale had sexual feelings towards each other, and what resulted was a baby, Pearl, and thus, Pearl is not only Hester’s, but in this case also Dimmesdale’s sexual drive.
But what does all of this mean? Why did Hawthorne write it that way? Hawthorne did have a point to the book, and all of this symbolism. He wanted to say to the people of his time that the Puritans judged people too quickly, and based on morality. Since everything was based on morality the Puritan people weren’t able to express their innermost feelings, desires or passions. Since Hester couldn’t express her true feelings freely in Boston, Hawthorne wrote Pearl into the book, showing how she really felt at a situation. The Puritans didn’t accept Hester’s desires, and this is only further supported by the scarlet letter Hester must wear as punishment for her desires.
In conclusion, after compiling all the evidence it is quite obvious that Pearl is not a character in The Scarlet Letter. She is a symbol representing all of Hester’s inner feelings and and desires. Even though Pearl was born from sin, she ultimately was good for Hester, Pearl was an extension of Hester, and allowed Hester’s innermost desires and feelings to be voiced, with out criticism from the Puritan society of Boston. Pearl is like the rosebush mentioned on page 42. When people think of roses they think of the thorns that surround such a beauteous and wonderful thing. Pearl is that rose, and the thorns are Hester’s life. Hawthorne, in writing Pearl this way criticized the overcritical Puritans, and showed how they were too judgmental of themselves. Following a theme of romanticism Hawthorne exposed the Puritan criticism to all of humanity.
Is it actually possible to prove that a character in a book is in fact, not a character in that work of literature? In The Scarlet Letter a character, Pearl, is the daughter of Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. This birth is the result of an act of adultery, so it is condoned by the Puritan society. Hester is punished by public humiliation, she must wear a scarlet letter on her breast at all times. However, Pearl is not a character in the book, but rather a physical embodiment, or symbol, of Hester, her mother’s, inner feelings, desires, and passions. Every symbol must have its relevance. Hawthorne wrote in this symbol to say something about the Puritan society.
To begin, through out the book Dimmesdale, Pearl, and Hester have several meetings. In each of these Dimmesdale is in private and talks to Pearl and Hester. Pearl wonders why he will never be seen in public with them. On the scaffold where Hester received her public humiliation, at night, Dimmesdale stood with Hester and Pearl. Here Pearl said, “‘But wilt thou promise,’ asked Pearl, ‘to take my hand, and my mother’s hand to-morrow noontide?’” (Hawthorne 127). Dimmesdale later refused this offer. Hester and Pearl are sad, but Hester knew that would happen from the beginning so it doesn’t affect her as much. Another instance of Pearl showing her resentment of Dimmesdale is in the forest, after Dimmesdale and Hester have decided to run off to Europe. Pearl says to Hester,“‘Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into the town?’”(Hawthorne 175). Here Pearl asks again, if Dimmesdale will join them in the town, but Hester tells her he won’t. Pearl then continues to treat Dimmesdale will no respect and very rudely. Hester loves Dimmesdale, so she must want to spend time with him, but she can’t. She wants him to be there when people aren’t looking, but even more when they’re not. Thus, Hawthorne wrote Pearl nagging Dimmesdale to stand with them in public, so Hester’s inner desire could at least be shown from some sort of view.
Secondly, in one instance Pearl was reluctant to her own mother, Hester. In the forest Hester took off her scarlet letter, and she called Pearl over so she could meet Dimmesdale formally. Pearl refuses until Hester puts the scarlet letter back on and Pearl replied, “‘Now thou art my mother indeed.’” (Hawthorne 174). This is proof that Hester really didn’t want to take the letter off. Pearl is representing Hester’s inner guilt for taking it off. Hester feels awful, so Pearl shows how she felt awful. Hester even says to Chillingworth earlier in the book, “‘Were I worthy to be quit of it, [the scarlet letter] it would fall away of its own nature…”(Hawthorne 139). Hester shows that she has no intention to removed her mark, and later she removes it because she feels like she should be free. Hester deep down inside feels terrible and guilty. It is her punishment, she should pay for her sins. Pearl just reminds Hester of how she really feels.
Lastly, and most blatantly, Pearl is a representation of Hester’s sexual drive, in all essence. Pearl is a direct result of an act of adultery, there’s no argument there. Pearl therefore is, to everyone in the town, a representation of Hester’s sexual emotions, desires, and passions. She represents everything Hester has done, she is Hester’s sin. Hester and Dimmesdale had sexual feelings towards each other, and what resulted was a baby, Pearl, and thus, Pearl is not only Hester’s, but in this case also Dimmesdale’s sexual drive.
But what does all of this mean? Why did Hawthorne write it that way? Hawthorne did have a point to the book, and all of this symbolism. He wanted to say to the people of his time that the Puritans judged people too quickly, and based on morality. Since everything was based on morality the Puritan people weren’t able to express their innermost feelings, desires or passions. Since Hester couldn’t express her true feelings freely in Boston, Hawthorne wrote Pearl into the book, showing how she really felt at a situation. The Puritans didn’t accept Hester’s desires, and this is only further supported by the scarlet letter Hester must wear as punishment for her desires.
In conclusion, after compiling all the evidence it is quite obvious that Pearl is not a character in The Scarlet Letter. She is a symbol representing all of Hester’s inner feelings and and desires. Even though Pearl was born from sin, she ultimately was good for Hester, Pearl was an extension of Hester, and allowed Hester’s innermost desires and feelings to be voiced, with out criticism from the Puritan society of Boston. Pearl is like the rosebush mentioned on page 42. When people think of roses they think of the thorns that surround such a beauteous and wonderful thing. Pearl is that rose, and the thorns are Hester’s life. Hawthorne, in writing Pearl this way criticized the overcritical Puritans, and showed how they were too judgmental of themselves. Following a theme of romanticism Hawthorne exposed the Puritan criticism to all of humanity.
my grade isn't as stellar as I hoped