Symbolism Of Pearl In The Scarlet Letter
The role of Pearl in the Scarlet Letter
This essay will be analysing the significance of the selected passage as well as emphasizing how this passage helps give the reader a more vivid insight to the lives of the protagonists of the Scarlet Letter as well as developing the plot further. The passage, taken from Chapter 16, “A Forest Walk,” is illustrative of the role Pearl plays in the text. It is also an insight on the significance of the scarlet letter as a symbol.
Pearl is aware of things that others do not see, and here she identifies the scarlet letter on her mother’s bosom with the metaphorical as well as literal lack of sunshine in her mother’s life. As a result of her youth, Pearl often does not understand the consequences of the …show more content…
Meanwhile, Pearl is playing in the sun. For some strange reason, the sun is not shining on Hester. Then Pearl notices this and points out that the sun “runs away and hides itself”, because it is “afraid of something on Hester’s bosom”, indicating the scarlet letter that Hester wears. She says that because she is a child, the sun won’t run away from her because she doesn’t have a scarlet letter on her chest. Pearl, depicts a metaphor for how society treats Hester in contrast to how society views herself. The sunlight, being a metaphor for society’s viewpoint pays no attention to Hester, hence the sunlight not shining on her. On the other hand Pearl could be seen as representing the rest of society. The sunlight shines on her as she “wears nothing on her bosom yet”. Pearl often provides a greater insight to the plot of the Scarlet Letter by providing an alternate viewpoint on events in the plot as well as revealing truths about characters that often the novel won't even acknowledge. Furthermore, this concept could literally describe the recent lack of sunshine in Hester’s life. How the scarlet letter prevents her from some of her few liberties in the puritan society, resulting in a very depressing life for
This essay will be analysing the significance of the selected passage as well as emphasizing how this passage helps give the reader a more vivid insight to the lives of the protagonists of the Scarlet Letter as well as developing the plot further. The passage, taken from Chapter 16, “A Forest Walk,” is illustrative of the role Pearl plays in the text. It is also an insight on the significance of the scarlet letter as a symbol.
Pearl is aware of things that others do not see, and here she identifies the scarlet letter on her mother’s bosom with the metaphorical as well as literal lack of sunshine in her mother’s life. As a result of her youth, Pearl often does not understand the consequences of the …show more content…
Meanwhile, Pearl is playing in the sun. For some strange reason, the sun is not shining on Hester. Then Pearl notices this and points out that the sun “runs away and hides itself”, because it is “afraid of something on Hester’s bosom”, indicating the scarlet letter that Hester wears. She says that because she is a child, the sun won’t run away from her because she doesn’t have a scarlet letter on her chest. Pearl, depicts a metaphor for how society treats Hester in contrast to how society views herself. The sunlight, being a metaphor for society’s viewpoint pays no attention to Hester, hence the sunlight not shining on her. On the other hand Pearl could be seen as representing the rest of society. The sunlight shines on her as she “wears nothing on her bosom yet”. Pearl often provides a greater insight to the plot of the Scarlet Letter by providing an alternate viewpoint on events in the plot as well as revealing truths about characters that often the novel won't even acknowledge. Furthermore, this concept could literally describe the recent lack of sunshine in Hester’s life. How the scarlet letter prevents her from some of her few liberties in the puritan society, resulting in a very depressing life for