Dimmesdale And Pearl example essay topic

The manifestations of truth and innocence in the character, Pearl, help support the overall effect of her being a mysterious creature that Nathaniel Hawthorne produced in The Scarlet Letter. This paradox of one person representing both innocence and also truth, which is the loss of innocence, gives Pearl special qualities and allows her to play a significant role. She is introduced in the beginning of the novel as the result of her mother, Hester's adulterous relations. She will continue to be the only, living testament to this painful, but real sin.

As the story progresses, her high intellect and curiosity tend to make Hester worry about her finding out the reason why they are obviously being treated differently from everyone else in town. Pearl's insistence upon uncovering for herself and ultimately to all of the townspeople the secret that has burdened her mother as well as their minister, Dimmesdale, portrays the constant struggle between truth and innocence. Like critic, Anne Marie McNamara states, "Pearl is part of the 'electric chain' formed as she, Dimmesdale, and Hester join hands in the darkness and stand on the pillory as a family for the first time", Pearl is the missing link between Hester and Dimmesdale in that their relationship lacked innocence and doubly posing as the figure of truth in that she is a constant reminder of their unfaithful actions. Her ability to keep secrets from her parents as they are doing to her is ironic and essential as her "preternatural" knowledge causes them gain greater understanding about themselves, others, and provides them with the opportunity for freedom and growth. She is as critic, Anne McNamara states, "a spirit child", as she is able to convey messages of the utmost importance and honesty, yet is able to retain a pure state as a child. McNamara's arguement is centered around the idea that Dimmesdale's ultimate decision to publicly confess his sin was generated, at least in part, by his daughter's rejections of him and statements, meant for her mother, but also indirectly affecting him.

It is with this in mind that makes her claim that the forest meeting of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Pearl, is the most crucial scene for it is here that Dimmesdale is faced with the harsh reality which Pearl radiates through her actions and bold convictions. McNamara suggests that it is because of "Pearl in her 'otherworldly aspect,' " that he is finally pushed to reveal his true identity. Like McNamara concluded, the encounters of these three related characters in the forest is vital as it is here, in overtly objecting to her mother's removal of the letter from her chest, Pearl consciously proclaims that whatever the "A" stands for must not be forgotten, not even for a few minutes. Such an action, prolonged, would be similar to wishing that Pearl did not exist. 'I am my mother's child,' answered the scarlet vision, 'and my name is Pearl!' ' As she is described in the story, even Pearl's aura is synonymous with the emblem on her mother's breast. But as the narrator also implies in writing, 'After putting her finger in her mouth, with many ungracious refusals to answer good Mr. Wilson's questions, the child finally announced that she had not been made at all, but had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison-door", Pearl may be pronouncing her true identity here, not as a child but as a creature that already was, forced to punish and help Hester as a result of the choices she made.

On the other hand, hypocritically living in a world that denies the presence of personal accountability, Dimmesdale is torn between his duties to God and his need to keep up appearances as a minister to the community. In choosing to stay silent about his position, he gives Pearl every reason to resent him, if she did know his true identity in relation to her. However, because she is kept in the dark regarding most things, her light of truth is limited to making general statements reminding him that Hester's tempting proposal to run away to Europe, and in a sense relieve himself of any moral obligations, is not a solid solution to his inner tribulations. McNamara articulates, "Since the change in Dimmesdale is in the spiritual order, the cause may be assumed to be in the same order. [Pearl] operates plausibly as an efficient case within the ambiance of ambiguity which pervades the novel". As such an extraordinary little girl, one may question whether or not she is an angel or other heavenly figure, as her purpose is opposing evil and challenging those who need a change of heart.

How she is able to seemingly know exactly what is going on, not being told the details, know the consequences of their plans, not being involved in the conversation, and know the cure for their ailments, not being told what is troubling them, produces a somewhat omniscient image of her. She makes all of this possible, while remaining as innocent and "na " ive" as a young girl her age should be, but in actuality every comment and deed she does, is almost calculated and done in order to counsel and advise whoever she is speaking to. Dimmesdale is a man of sharp insight and as much perception as Pearl has, so the fact that he is receiving wake-up calls from his daughter troubles him. Pearl's power to play the role of both innocent child, at the same time, an all-knowing, bright beacon showing him the way, allows her character to amaze and inspire him, who is supposed to be twice as strong and influential. "Pearl is not merely an ordinary, playful seven-year-old child: she is also precociously intelligent, bewilderingly subtle, frighteningly independent, and penetratingly wise. A double natured anomaly, torturing her mother with misgivings of her natural origin, she exhibits even in babyhood an uncanny curiosity concerning Hester's scarlet letter.

From early childhood, she displays unearthly inquisitiveness about the minister's habit of placing his hand over his heart". Along with all of this, Pearl, herself, seems to assert her superiority over her mother and father as far as resisting evil, in declaring", 'Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, mother, or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!' As McNamara expresses, she seems to be a creature that was sent to guide Hester and Dimmesdale, to allow them to redeem themselves for the sin they have committed together in secret.

Her mysterious nature has been unraveled to portray her as a "prophet of transformation". 'Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken. The great scene of grief, in which the wild infant bore a party, had developed all her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her father's cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor forever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it. Towards her mother, too, Pearl's errand as a messenger of anguish was all fulfilled. '.