ntralsymbol of the novel, the scarlet letter. First, Pearl's birth resultedfrom the sin of adultery, the meaning of the "A." Since she came from abroken rule, Pearl does not feel that she has to follow rules. Hawthorneexpresses that "The child could not be made amendable to rules" (Hawthorne91). Next, Pearl exhibits the same characteristics as the scarlet letter.For example, the letter contains scarlet fabric. Hester makes red clothesfor Pearl to wear, making her an outcast of Puritan society. Likewise,wearing the scarlet letter has made Hester an outcast of society.Furthermore, Pearl grows just as Hester continues to enlarge the letter byadding golden thread. During infancy, "The letter is the first objectthat Pearl becomes aware of" (Baym 57). Throughout her life, Pearl becamevery attached to the scarlet letter that was on Hester's bosom. WhenHester removed it in the forest, Pearl became detached from her mother.Finally, at the end of the novel Hester, still wearing the scarlet letter,returns to Boston without Pearl. Although Hawthorne does not tell whathappened to Pearl, the reader learns about the death of Hester. BeforeHester died, she continued to wear the scarlet letter. While all alone inBoston, one can reason that Hester wore the letter to keep Pearl a part ofherself. Since Pearl symbolized the scarlet letter, she held a large rolein the plot of the Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne's character of Pearl is the most significant object indeveloping the plot of the Scarlet Letter. To start, Pearl's birth provedHester's sin of adultery. Subsequently, the people of Boston forced Hesterto wear the scarlet letter. The letter turns Hester into an outcast ofsociety. Next, when Chillingworth found out that Hester gave birth to Pearl,he became determined to find the father of the child. Chillingworth thinksthat Dimmesdale had the affair with Hester, but he cannot prove it. Whilecaring for Dimmesdale, Chillingworth commits many ...
