Scarlet Letter Ambiguity Essay, Research Paper
Ambiguity and The Scarlet Letter go better together than two people that have
been
happily married for 75 years. There is no exemption in Hawthorne?s
exquisite symbolism
of one of his main characters, Pearl. The Scarlet Letter A, worn by Hester
Prynne, was a
punishment for the immoral sin of adultery she had committed. Following
Hester’s act of
adultery, she became pregnant with a baby girl whom she named Pearl. From the
first
moment that we are introduced to Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthorne?s novel, The
Scarlet
Letter, we get the sense that there is something strange and unnatural about
her. Pearl
acts very differently than the other people in Boston in that she seems to be
much more
vibrant than the others. We see this displayed in various different forms
like her dress, her
mood swings, her sometimes mischievous behavior, and her constant liveliness.
Throughout the novel, Pearl is used by Hawthorne to symbolize many different
elements,
and the ambiguity come together for one significant meaning.
A critic of Hawthorne states, ?when depth and ambiguity are much admired in
writing, Hawthorne has continued to offer enough complexity and mystery to
hold a wide
variety of readers.?(Davidson, 361) Pearl was not accepted by virtually
anyone; her
unavoidable seclusion was due to the sin of her mother. Pearl was always
different
somehow. Throughout all of this, Pearl is labeled with many symbols that are
meaningful
in understanding Hawthorne?s novel, and they will be explained in the
preceding
paragraphs.
For one, Pearl is the living embodiment of the scarlet letter. She is the
result from
Hester?s and Dimmesdale?s sins. Pearl plays one of the most crucial roles
in The Scarlet
Letter. Hawthorne uses Pearl as a dynamic character; she is a constant
reminder to Hester
of her sin. When we were first introduced to Pearl, she was immediately drawn
to the
Scarlet A on Hester?s bosom. ?But the first object of which Pearl seemed
to become
aware was the scarlet letter on Hester?s bosom! One day, as her mother
stooped over the
cradle, the infant?s eyes had been caught by the glimmering of the gold
embroidery about
the letter? and, putting up her little hand, she grasped at it, smiling not
doubtfully, but with
a decided gleam.? (Hawthorne, 88). Beginning when she was conceived, Pearl
served as a
reminder of the Scarlet A on her bosom. Hawthorne shows this symbolism
various times.
In Chapter 7, Pearl and Hester go to the Governor?s house and Pearl?s
attire ?inevitably
reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear
upon her
bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed
with life!?
(Hawthorne, 93). Pearl is dressed in a scarlet dress with gold fringe exactly
resembling the
Scarlet A on Hester?s bosom. Pearl had a natural preference to focus on the
Scarlet Letter,
which is show in Chapter 15. ??Pearl took some eel-grass, and imitated,
as best as she
could, on her own bosom, the decoration with which she was so familiar on her
mother?s.
A letter, the letter A, but freshly green, instead of scarlet!? (Hawthorne,
163). In this
scene, Hester eventually has to deny its significance to Pearl after she
constantly confronts
her mother of its significance. One of the most symbolic scenes in the novel
occurs in the
forest as Pearl and Hester are traveling to meet Dimmesdale. Pearl remarks to
Hester that
?the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it
is afraid of
something on your bosom.? (Hawthorne, 168). Sunshine, which can symbolize
composed
happiness or the approval of God and nature, rejects Hester because of her
sin and the
?thing on her bosom?. Therefore, this confirms that Pearl constantly
reminds her of her sin
and her punishment. In one of the most dramatic scenes in the novel, Pearl
prevents Hester
from escaping her sin and shame. Pearl ?bursts into a fit of passion? and
will not go to her
mother until she puts the Scarlet A back on her bosom and places her hair
back
underneath her cap. In the one moment that Hester attempts to escape her sin,
Pearl
refuses to acknowledge her until she returns to the shameful mother that she
has always
known. Pearl is a child without guilt, with all a child?s freshness and
spontaneity, however
to Hester is a persistent remembrance to the Scarlet A, which she must bare
on her bosom.
Pearl really was the Scarlet Letter, because if Pearl had never been born,
Hester would
have never been found guilty of adultery, and thus never would have had to
wear that
burden upon her chest. As Pearl?s symbolic meaning of being the embodiment
of the
scarlet letter, this is not the only symbolic meaning that she has.
Pearl is also symbolic in that she symbolized innocence. She did absolutely
nothing to be treated how she was treated, all Pearl did was be born. Pearl,
in the same
idea of being the symbol of innocence, is the symbol of the treasure of
youth. Her name
designates her to be a child of great value and worth. A pearl in the ocean
is found and
extracted after careful labor. Pearl was brought into the world at a great
cost. She was
brought into the world at the expense of her mother’s public condemnation.
Pearl is
innocent and is her mother’s only treasure and companion. Pearl is different
from ordinary
Puritan children in that she has a mind of her own. A pearl would not belong
in Puritan
society because it would contrast with society’s austerity and
utilitarianism. A pearl would
be a luxury and an object that would not be found on any proper Puritan
woman. Pearl
nonetheless stands out as beautiful and charming in a society of dull and
stern people. In
the same way that her mother Hester was different from Puritan society, her
offspring also
was a not a normal Puritan. Pearl is different but it?s her difference that
gives her great
worth and beauty. Though her symbolizing innocence and the treasure of youth,
she is
also used to symbolize a contrasting element.
As Pearl symbolized another substantial element in the novel, there were no
possibilities of any character appreciating this symbolization. Pearl was
also used to
symbolize evil and secret sin. On the rare occasion that the children would
show interest
in Pearl, she would ?grow positively terrible in her puny wrath, snatching
up stones to
fling at them?? (Hawthorne, 87) Throughout most of the book, Pearl is
wild. When she
is in the forest with her mother, she fits in with the wild things and they
seem to accept
her. ?…the mother forest, and these wild things which it nourished, all
recognized a
kindred wildness in the human child.? (Hawthorne, 188) Nature recognizes in
Pearl, a
wildness. Pearl?s character is described as developing, ?…the steadfast
principles of an
unflinching courage, ?an uncontrollable will, ?a sturdy pride…?
(Hawthorne, 165) Also,
Pearl asks Hester where she came from, and Hester says that she came from the
Heavenly
father and Pearl says, ?He did not send me…I have no Heavenly Father.?
All of these
characteristics relate to sin, especially sin that is not recognized. While
committing the sin,
a person has strong will, pride, and courage just like Pearl does. Pearl is
wild along with
passionate. Since Pearl is so wild and passionate, she is accepted very well
in the forest.
This explains very straight forwardly how she is evil. Since she is accepted
well in the
forest, which is the home of the ?Black Man? or evil, she is symbolizing
evil. Likewise,
when the sin is discovered, Pearl?s character changes dramatically. Before,
Pearl had been
wild and not very caring, when her father, Arthur, finally admits he is Pearl?s
father and is
dying, Pearl changes. This breaks her free from being the symbol of evil and
sin, and gives
a chance to go to the next and final symbolization of Pearl.
Hawthorne uses Pearl for one last symbol in The Scarlet Letter, the symbol of
the moral blossom. This is very much associated with symbolizing a rose.
Since her
mother symbolized passion through the rosebush, the child is thus comparable
to the
blossoms on the rosebush. Once and a while, Pearl would bring happiness to
Hester?s life,
and that gave her a reason to keep on living. Pearl really symbolized a rose
to her mother,
at some times she could be bright and vibrant, and really love her mother,
but at other
times, she could be ?wilting?. It was the times when she was
"wilting" that brought
Hester the most grief. Hawthorne comments that the rose may serve as a moral
blossom.
Pearl does represent a moral in the novel, making her parents take
responsibility of their
sins, and Pearl was persistent until this happened.
Hawthorne has much ambiguity throughout The Scarlet Letter, and it is often
through
his points or important figures or important settings. One critic agreed with
Hawthorne?s
ambiguous ways of writing, but at the same time, praised the continually, ?But
the reader
feels that his vision was clear, and his feeling about the matter very strong
and rich.
Hawthorne?s imagination, on the other hand, plays with his theme so
incessantly, leads it
such a dance through the moon-lighted air of his intellect, that the thing
cools off, as it
were, hardens and stiffens, and, producing effects much more exquisite,
leaves the reader
with a sense of having handled a splendid piece of silversmith?s work.?
(James, 815)
Hawthorne?s ambiguity of the symbolism of Pearl is extremely evident to
each of his
readers. Some will think, what is his point of so ambiguously describing the
symbolic
Pearl. Well, Hawthorne gives the reader a chance to adjudge their own opinion
on what
Pearl is really standing for. Yet, he leads the reader to believe that Pearl?s
overall
symbolic ambiguity is standing for the possibilities of sin combining with
innocence. His
ambiguity shows the true complexity to Pearl and each of her symbolic
meanings that were
covered in the previous paragraphs. It truly is put together quite
magnificently because
Hawthorne incorporated the aftermath?s of Hester and Dimmesdale?s sins
into one
innocent character, Pearl.
In conclusion, Hawthorne?s portrayal of Pearl and her symbolism are quite
ambiguous. This is clear in how many symbolic meanings Pearl had. She
symbolized the
scarlet letter, innocence and treasure, evil and sin, and the moral blossom
and rose. It is
evident that he wanted to ambiguously portray the symbolism of Pearl. So, was
Hawthorne meaning to show the possibilities of combining sin and innocence
through the
ambiguous description or was he just putting symbolization in the only one
character that
wasn?t a sinner? Well, this is a question that can never be answered.