Essay, Research Paper

The Living Symbol of the Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter A, worn by Hester Prynne, was a penalty for the immoral wickedness of criminal conversation she had committed. Hester was forced to have on the missive upon her bosom for the remainder of her life. Following Hester & # 8217 ; s act of criminal conversation, she became pregnant with a babe miss whom she named Pearl. & # 8220 ; Pearl was a born castaway of the childish universe. An elf of immorality, emblem and merchandise of wickedness, she had no right among christened babies & # 8221 ; ( Hawthorne 90 ) . Pearl is the living symbol of the vermilion missive displayed by her love of mischievousness, discourtesy of authorization that Hester is incapable of commanding, and frequent reminders to Hester of her ain wickedness of passion. Pearl was a child full of mischievousness. & # 8220 ; If the kids gathered about her, as they sometime did, Pearl would turn positively awful in her puny wrath, snaping up rocks to fling at them, with shrill, incoherent exclaimings that made her female parent tremble. . . & # 8221 ; ( Hawthorne 90 ) . Pearl was like the missive in that she was looked at in the same manner ; the consequence of Hesters iniquitous act of adultery.Pearl shows a discourtesy of authorization to her female parent. When Hester removed the missive from her bosom near the creek, Pearl refused to obey despite her female parents encouragement to come and & # 8220 ; run into a friend of mine, who must be thy friend besides & # 8221 ; (

204 ) . Here, Pearl really forces her female parent to have on the vermilion missive after she tossed it off. Pearl non following the orders of her female parent is Hesters penalty for non following the order of the jurisprudence.

Near the creek, & # 8220 ; Pearl took some grass wrack, and imitated as best she could, on her ain bosom, the ornament with which she was so familiar on her female parents. A missive, the missive A, but newly green alternatively of vermilion & # 8221 ; ( 174 ) . Hester asks Pearl if she knows what the vermilion A agency. Pearl replies & # 8220 ; Truly do I. . . ask yonder old adult male whom thou hast been speaking with. It may be he can state. But in good earnest now, Mother beloved, what does the vermilion missive mean, and why dost 1000 wear it on thy bosom, and why does the curate maintain his manus over his bosom? & # 8221 ; ( 174 ) . Under farther oppugning Pearl denies cognizing the significance of the missive. She asks her female parent three times: & # 8220 ; what does the missive mean female parent, and why dost 1000 wear it? & # 8221 ; ( 177 ) . Hester is tempted to state the truth, but alternatively answers that she wears it for the interest of the gold yarn. Pearl reminds Hester of her wickedness merely as the missive upon her bosom does. Pearl is the living symbol of the vermilion missive. Her arch behaviour, discourtesy of authorization, and frequent reminders to her female parent of her wickedness, embodies the moral decay so apparent in the act of criminal conversation.