" The unlikeliest materials- a stick, a bunch of rags, a flower- were the puppets of Pearl's witchcraft, and, without undergoing any outward change, became spiritually adapted to whatever drama occupied the stage of her inner world." (96-97) The Scarlett Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne describes young Pearl in such a fascinating edifice, that the audience knows that this child is an extraordinary child, she is different, she will never fit in her society (as her own mother). Pearl-daughter of a puritan woman who has been condemned to a life of misery- will not fall into the Puritan world as the rest of the children her age; she was born out of a sin, so others will treat her different, and she will want to change her society's standards. This quote I chose to share, is significant because it defines Pearl as a creative, sweet, joyous and adventurous person. In this passage, Hawthorne also describes her hobbies of curiosity, and he mentions her doings are like witchcraft-which makes her stand out even more from their religious society. Pearl is not afraid of living, she wants to have fun as she is a child, and she does this by creating her own world. The author uses a long metaphor in this passage to describe Pearl, define her young personality, in order to show us that she is a beautiful child, that Hester Prynne is beautiful, because she is her mother.
Questions:
1. Why has Hawthorne chosen to describe young Pearl as such a beautiful, rare creature in chapter 6?
2. Why is Hester Prynne worried about Pearl's actions or doings? How will this affect her in her cruel society? Or why is Hester Prynne worried for Pearl's future?
3. Will Pearl rebel against the puritan laws in the future? (predict) And what may be her reasons for doing so?
Ms. Rozmiarek: I will not be able to comment on my team member's blogs (as I will have no access to the internet) until I get back on January 7, 2010. Thanks in advanced.
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Hawthorne chose to describe young Pearls as such a beautiful, rare creature in chapter 6 so that the readers could get an understanding of her personality and to compare Pearl to Hester. Also, it is to show us why the puritan society wants to take Pearl away from Hester.
ReplyDeleteHester is worried about what Pearl does because she doesnt want Pearl to be evil or to commit the same sins as Hester. Pearl's sins can lead the society to condemn Pearl as well, and as i have stated before, to take Pearl away from Hester.
I belive Pearl will rebel against the puritan laws because in there eyes she is already a sinner because she was born in sin. Since she is already shunned, and is not of the puritan society, she has no reason to follow their laws. Pearl already has an evil spitit inside of her, and one day it will get a hold of her.
HAPPY NEW YEARS TO YOU TO!!! HAVE FUN =D
It was not common (in speaking during the Puritan times) that people would commit adultery and especially bear a child as a result. Adultery as with the other sins, were greatly frowned upon by society and had serious consequences with it. This goes into the reason in which Hawthorne chose to describe Pearl as a beautiful, rare creature. Because of the way in which Pearl was conceived, this made her unique and as you say, “rare” and “beautiful”. Of course there was no beauty in committing adultery and producing a child as a result, but it is the rarity of the situation that gave Pearl a sort of beauty along with the beauty she had inherited from her mother’s looks. The fact that she was born into the seclusion and ridicule her mother had been experiencing, were the many reasons that made her vastly different from the other kids. She could not live such a “normal childhood” without being looked at differently and in a sort of degrading way. With your second question, Hester Prynne is worried for Pearl’s future because she is unsure how she would be accepted into society and how she will turn out to be, in living in seclusion and receiving constant torment and ridicule from society. She hopes that her experience will not be passed on to her child and knows that she will feel forever guilty (as she does now) for having brought up this child to just live a miserable life.
ReplyDeleteThe reason that pearl is depicted as a rare creature is because she was one. It was not often in puritan society that a child would be born from adultery. Also in describing her bouncy and positive nature is goes against the mood of the town and their views towards her and her mother. Being the child of the town's sinner puts her at the disadvantage of being able to make friends and function as a child not under scrutiny would. Hester feels responsible for putting her child in such a position as to not be allotted a normal life. The possible trials will face in such a harsh society worries Hester as to how she will deal with people and labels and unfair treatment as she herself committed the sin. People in their unforgiving ways will not allow Pearl a normal life and will hold her existence responsible for bad things to happen as well as use her as an excuse. Pearls presence is threatening in a society where people are to look the other way without even knowing so.
ReplyDeletePearl is described as a unique human being because not many children were the product of sin and then to be beautiful and positive in spite of it was also different. pearl has learned to adjust to a life of isolation yet still is able to maintain the usual happiness of a child despite her interactions with other children. To have a child born from adultery then for it to be physical and emotional beauty was unheard of.
ReplyDeleteHester is worried about Pearl she is afraid the torture and seclusion will prove to be the foundation for further personality changes and emotional breakdowns in the future. Pearl isn't allowed a normal childhood and the only person she interacts with is her mother who possess a negative outlook on life and is afraid such with pass down to Pearl. Hester wants Pearl to fit into society and it worries her that that may not be possible.