Even though we are only a few chapters in to The Scarlet Letter, each of you should already be identifying some themes and making some predictions. Some questions you might not be thinking about: In what ways could The Scarlet Letter be read as a commentary on the era of American history it describes? What is your perception of Pearl?
I also want you to think of some predictions and questions you hope to follow up on as we continue to read.
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I think that the people in the book are just the same as they were in the time that the author was in. When we see the people in the book are at the jail the women gossip and are judgmental towards Hester. I think that the author used this book as a commentary to tell people what life was like for those in early American times. To show how hard life was and what the people who had to live like this were like. As for Pearl, Hester's daughter I think that she is a very out-going and caring child. I do not think that she is a sin as the people in the book do, it is not her fault that she was born and is a burden of sin to the community just because her parents made a mistake. I understand her because I'm adopted.
ReplyDeleteIf the Scarlet Letter was a commentary on the way the Puritans lived during that time period,it would be very revealing as to the negative aspects. When the Scarlet Letter's audience is introduced to the whole jail scene,a feeling of seriousness washes over them. Whether or not the indiviual Puritan believes Hester is in the wrong,they are forced to go with the mass and the authorities. The Puritans were their religion,body and soul. They took it so seriously that those who defied their way of life were worthy of death in the eyes of the Puritans.
ReplyDeleteAnother are that would have been commentated on is the methods of punishment the Puritans used. Gallows,public humiliation,death;all of these forms of punishment were very extreme. I do not believe the Puritans were big on forgiveness.
Ah, Pearl. Pearl is a rather creepy child. From the minute she enters Hester's world,Pearl serves as a ghost of the sin Hester commited. I believe that Hester is so afraid of her own child that she neglects to raise her properly. Pearl gets away with being a fiesty brat because her mother believes she is sent as a punishment from God, and outsiders think she is the result of a broken,condemned woman,thus her actions are excused. Overall, I see Pearl as being spoiled and neglected.
Some predictions I can make is that Pearl will get into some deep trouble as she gets older. Also, I believe Hester's past will come up over and over again--her one night stand and her ex-husband will turn up sooner or later,of that I am sure.
~Megan~
If one were to read The Scarlet Letter as a commentary, one would discover the way of life that the Puritans led. They lived by the rules of the book, the Bible, and there would be serious consequences if one did not abide by these rules. Such as in Hester Prynne's case, she commits adultery (or so we believe) and the town is calling for her death. Luckily for her, she had a baby and the high officials of Boston will not condemn the innocent babe. If one looked closely at the book, they would also discover that arranged marriages were a common thing back in that time. When Hester is having her flashback while standing on top of the gallows/whipping post she describes what she sees: "There she beheld another countenance, of a man well stricken in years, a pale, thin, scholar-like visage,...was slightly deformed, with the left shoulder a trifle higher than the right....where a new life had awaited her, still in connection with the misshapen scholar...."
ReplyDeleteThis flashback parcel helps readers understand that Hester was betrothed to this misshapen gentleman in an arranged marriage by their families.
Also, if one were to look at the beginning of the book, it would again reinstate how important rules and society were to the Puritans. Before Hawthorne even begins to tell his story he is describing the colony of Boston. He says, "The founders of a new colony,...have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery and another portions as the site of a prison."
So, when the founders first landed, their first order of business was to construct an edifice to put the people that did not follow the Puritan ways. This speaks of their belief that discipline was very important.
I think that Pearl is a spoiled brat and maybe a bit bipolar. Her mother did not discipline her for fear of Pearl turning into herself [Hester] as she was a child. In not raising her child correctly, her fear became her reality. By the time she realized this, it was too late to begin because Pearl became too strong willed. Touching on the subject of Pearl's bipolarity, Hawthorne gives a great description of it in the quote that follows: "...Hester sometimes burst into passionate tears. Then perhaps,--for there was no foreseeing how it might affect her,--Pearl would frown, and clench her little fist, and harden her small features into a stern, unsympathizing look of discontent. Not seldom, she would laugh anew, and louder than before, like a thing incapable and unintelligent of human sorrow. Or--but his more rarely happened--she would be convulsed with a rage of grief, and sob out her love for her mother in broken words, and seem intent on proving that she had a heart, by breaking it." Pearl also seems like she is the embodiment of how her mother wants to act and feel towards the towns people. "These outbreaks of a fierce temper had a kind of value, and even comfort, for her mother; because there was at least an intelligible earnestness in the mood, instead of the fitful caprice that so often thwarted her in the child's manifestations. It appalled her, nevertheless, to discern here, again, a shadowy reflection of the veil that had existed in herself." Pearl and her mother have many things in common and I think that Pearl will act in the same way as her mother if she is not stopped and disciplined.
I believe that we will soon see Rev. Mr. Dimmensdale focus in on the story a bit more than he already is. And I think that "Roger Chillingworth" and Rev. Mr. Dimmensdale are going to have a little chat sooner or later. I think Hester had fallen in love with Rev. Mr. Dimmensdale because she refuses to let him suffer as she is suffering now. Pearl will want to know who her father is and she might have a part in discovering the "fellow sinner" in the story.
--mallory jean
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ReplyDeleteReading the Scarlet Letter as a commentary helps people see how the Puritans lived back then. They followed the rules very strictly and worked very hard at their work. Another part of life that the Puritans valued was their religion. If anyone committed a sin, the town would eventually find out and if the sin/crime was bad enough, the sinner could be put on trial. Hester Prynne was one woman who committed a sin (possibly adultery) that set the whole community in an angry uproar. The only thing that keeps her safe from the death penalty is her child Pearl. The judges had compassion for the small child and refused to leave the child in a world without a parent. Hester's sentence was still a grave one. "...in their great mercy and tenderness of heart, they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only a space of three hours on the platform of the pillory, and then and thereafter, for the remainder of her natural life, to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom." A person who continued to read this book would also find early on that arranged marriages were normal and people in high positions were treated with high respect out of fear. When the judges read the sentence nobody retorted with words against theirs. A stranger from the crowd only cried out, "A wise choice!" The respect for the judges and their word was very high.
ReplyDeleteI think that Pearl, Hester's daughter, is a troublemaker. She causes her mother great emotional pain. Her mother does not discipline her child, fearing that her daughter would end up like herself (Hester) as a young girl. Even when her mother was crying in front of her daughter, Pearl's devilish showed no compassion. "...she would laugh anew, and louder than before, like a thing incapable and unintelligent of human sorrow."
I think that in the chapters ahead, readers will learn more about Roger Chillingworth and why he wronged Hester.
-Drew Martinez-
The Scarlet Letter is the main reason for the whole story. Everything the Hester goes through is related to that letter. Even Hester’s child is interested in the letter. The book could be used as a commentary on the era of American history because it is in the direct area that people would punish people who did something wrong with sever punishments. I think Pearl is a little girl that is just trying to get through all the little questions in life, and especially why she can’t hang out with any of the other children. Some predictions I might have for the book are: What will happen when Hester finds that Master Chillingworth is truly her husband? How will Pearl live without true human contact? Hopefully all these will get answered.
ReplyDeleteIf The Scarlet Letter was a commentary on the way the Puritans lived during that time period, it would enlighten historians to view the more negative aspects of the Puritan society. Towards the beginning of the novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne vividly describes a scene in the jail that takes place after Hester’s trial. When Hester is in the jail talking to the jailer, Master Brackett, and her husband in disguise as the jail’s physician, the reader begins to question Hester’s character. As they ask themselves these questions and continue to read, the plot of the Scarlet Letter truly unfolds.
ReplyDeleteThe focal point of the story is then shifted to that of the Puritan society. The Puritans were extremely religious in the way that they lived what they believed down to an exact point, if a rule was broken, it was immediately to be handled with the correct punishment. In this time, not only was Hester in the wrong, by many also believed that the Reverend Dimmesdale was wrong because he was her minister and had not noticed that she had been going astray before anything had happened. Governor Bellingham states to the crowd, “Good Master Dimmesdale, the responsibility of this woman’s soul lies greatly with you. It behooves you, therefore, to exhort her to repentance, and to confession, as a proof and consequence thereof.” (p. 62) The Scarlet Letter could have been read as a commentary on the era of American history that the Puritans lived in because it showcases the Puritan’s way of handling problems in society, and the strength of their religious beliefs.
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Pearl is a character of great complexity and symbolism. As she grows up, she continues to remind Hester more and more about the ‘Scarlet Letter’ that she wears. Hester, being like all mothers, loves her daughter dearly. However, Pearl begins to reflect Hester’s own actions as a child and she becomes concerned. Hester almost sort of begins to see her child in two different lights. In a positive, motherly light, the novel says, “The child had a native grace which does not invariably coexist with faultless beauty, its attire, however simple, always impressed the beholder as if it were the very garb that precisely became its best.” (p. 82) Peal was very beautiful as a child, just pearls freshly from the sea are; but, when Pearl’s conduct begins to change, the darker light arises. Hester says, “She remembered—betwixt a smile and a shudder—the talk of the neighboring townspeople; who, seeking vainly elsewhere for the child’s paternity and observing some of her odd attributes, had gives out that poor little pearl was a demon offspring; such as, ever since old Catholic times, had occasionally been seen on earth, through the agency of their mother’s sin, and to promote some foul and wicked purpose.” (p. 91) As much as Hester loved her child, she could not ignore that her deal child came from a tragic incident. However beautiful as pearls are, they are acquired at a great price. The same is true for little Pearl. She is a very beautiful child, but was the effect of a great sin. Viewing both lights, the novel states, “Hester could only account for the child’s character—and even then most vaguely and imperfectly—by recalling what she herself had been, during that momentous period while Pearl was imbibing her soul from the spiritual would, and her bodily frame from its material of earth. The mother’s impassioned state had been the medium through which were transmitted to the unborn infant the rays of its mortal life; and, however white and clear originally, they had taken the deep stains of crimson and gold, the fiery luster, the black shadow, and the untempered light of the intervening substance. Above all, the warfare of Heater’s spirit, at that epoch, was perpetuated in Pearl.”
ReplyDeleteI predict that the mistake that Hester made will continue to follow her for the rest of her life, and that mistake will even more so be personified by her very daughter, Pearl. I also predict that Pearl will continue to be a very negative child and will make bad mistakes of her own that get her into trouble. One last prediction is that Pearl’s father and Hester’s husband will discover who each other are and will conflict in one way or another.
Sorry that I had to split it into two posts! It was too long to post at once.
Kristina Kiser
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne tells a story with a purpose. The book gives insight into the happenings in 17th-century America. The story begins in Boston, a settlement populated prominently by Puritan settlers, with Hester Prynne standing on a platform for three hours before a large crowd. Hawthorne immediately begins his portrayal of the Puritans as harsh and judgmental. Their hastiness and unforgiving demeanor show through their gossiping dialogue. “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die,” says one woman; “They should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne’s forehead,” proclaims another. By presenting Hester as a vulnerable character victimized by the callous Puritans, he lays the groundwork for the reader’s initial dislike of the settlers. In this way, The Scarlet Letter serves as Hawthorne’s personal commentary of the specific era of American history in which it is set.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter six, the reader meets Hester’s daughter, born as a result of Hester’s adulterous acts. Hester’s feelings toward her child are revealed early in the chapter. She chose the name “Pearl” because her daughter was “of great price,--purchased with all [Hester] had,--[Hester’s] only treasure.” After her imprisonment and banishment from the community, Pearl was all Hester had left. Hawthorne describes Pearl as a beautiful child, with “an absolute circle of radiance around her….” However, it soon becomes apparent that Pearl’s personality does not mirror her serene beauty. She is unruly and disobedient; nothing Hester does can convince the child to obey her. Pearl seems to truly emulate the scarlet letter—a constant reminder of Hester’s sin. As Pearl grows without her mother’s guidance or discipline, she continues to take advantage of her. This causes me to perceive Pearl as an unknowingly evil child. If she is not told what is right and wrong, how is she to distinguish and control her actions?
I predict that the man who impregnated Hester is Reverend Dimmesdale. This is in no act of reading ahead or excercising my detective skills…I read the back cover of the book. I also believe that as the story develops, we will see Chillingworth revealed to the settlement as being Hester Prynne’s long-lost husband. As a result of this he will most likely be exiled from the community or even put to death.
Gillian Chant
Scarlet Letter could be interpreted as a commentary for Puritan society in quite a few ways. From the very beginning of the novel Hawthorne illustrates a grim scene – a cluster of Puritan women gathered outside of a prison. “The grass plot before the jail . . . was occupied by a pretty large number of the inhabitants of Boston . . .” (46). Hawthorne also informs us of why they are there – “. . . the women,of whom there were several in the crowd, appeared to take a peculiar interest in whatever penal infliction might be expected to ensue” (47). So the women especially found a cruel delight in going to see prisoners, not to console or even pity them, but rather to mock and make a spectacle of.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of the novel being used as a commentary is the extent to which Puritan society focused on “morality” and “ethics,” both of which have absolutely everything to do with God. Every movement made or breath taken was seen by someone else and, should that movement or breath be considered at all sinful, the perversion witnessed spread by word of mouth like wildfire until there wasn't a single person who didn't know about it! And once the affliction was made known to the community, the community sought to bring whatever punishment possible to whomever had been convicted. In Hester Prynne's case, after giving birth to an illegitimate child, the punishment for sin, while not as severe as the Puritan women would have enjoyed, it was still humiliating. “. . . they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only a space of three hours on the platform . . . and then and thereafter, for the remainder of her natural life, to wear a mark of shame [the scarlet letter A] upon her bosom” (59).
As for Pearl? Many things could be said regarding this child, Hester's child – some positive, some cruel. I have deduced that, to Hester, Pearl is her daughter and she loves her dearly. But Pearl is also the very manifestation of the letter she wears. To Hester, Pearl is the scarlet letter, the living, breathing scarlet letter. “. . . the child's whole appearance . . . 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!”(93).
~Bryson Travieso
The Scarlet Letter may be read as a commentary of the era of American History because it gives a clear picture of the power religion had on the people. Religion and state were not separate entities. Religion was dominant in every aspect of peoples’ lives. Communities banded together to raise children, build their homes, and manage community life. The religion of that time could be described as “authoritarian.” Child rearing consisted of whippings and what today we would probably call “abuse.” Parents practiced a form of discipline that was supported by biblical scripture. Sin was not taken lightly or forgiven so easily without enduring some form of punishment. The people of that time believed God cursed sin and if someone sinned, their entire family was humiliated and shunned. “This child of its father’s guilt and its mother’s shame hath come from the hand of God, to work in many ways upon her heart, who the right to keep her. It was meant for a blessing, for the one blessing of her life! It was meant, doubtless, as the mother herself hath told us, for a retribution too; a torture to be felt at many an unthought-of moment; a pang, a sting, an ever-recurring agony, in the midst of a troubled joy!”
ReplyDeleteMy perception of Pearl is that she is a constant reminder of sin. Hester seems to feel guilty for bringing Pearl into the world through sin and feels guilty for enjoying her presence. Pearl is wearing an “A” not visibly seen, but worn on her chest due to her mother’s sin. The people see this “A” daily as proof of sin. I think Pearl and her mother have some type of boundary between each other because of Hester’s sin. Although Pearl is a product of sin, she is still happy and appears to be spoiled. “Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!” Pearl appears to be a cute girl with some eye catching characteristics. “So much strength of coloring, which must have given a wan and pallid aspect to cheeks of a fainter bloom, was admirably adapted to Pearl’s beauty, and made her the very brightest little jet of flame that ever danced upon the earth.”
I predict Hester’s sin will continue to come up throughout the book. The father of Pearl will be revealed before the end of the book. Hester continues to have encounters with the father of Pearl and I think Pearl will get some type of connection with her biological father. Pearl will figure out who her father is and will eventually. I think Chillingworth with attempt to take revenge on Dimmesdale. I think all the secrecy in this book will be revealed to everyone who lives in Boston.
I think The Scarlet Letter completely personifies the era of American history that it describes. Most of the people in the early colonization of America were Puritans. Reading The Scarlet Letter will give the readers a distinct view of how the Puritans operated. Puritans are not often looked on with favor in today’s society. Puritans were, in Hawthorne’s view, “a befitted people amongst whom religion and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly interfused, that the mildest and the severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful” (47). Puritans believed that religion and law were the same, and often would punish those who did not follow the law exactly. The Puritans decide to condemn Hester and her daughter, Pearl, even though Pearl herself had not committed the crime. The Puritans believed that Hester “…has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die.” (49) Pearl should not be at fault for her mother’s sin, yet she will be looked down on for the remainder of her life. Puritans did not think that a baby is innocent, like we do today. The considered Pearl sinful since the moment she was born. Because of their views of sins, the Puritans enjoyed gathering to expose their neighbors who had committed ‘sins.’ Since the Puritans were the majority of the early colonists, this book would be an excellent commentary for the early years of America.
ReplyDeleteI think Pearl is a rather exuberant child. Her spirit is so carefree that Hester is even slightly scared of her child. Hester often calls out to the Lord, “…what is this being which I have brought into the world!” (88) Hester partly believes that her daughter’s nature is her own fault. Her daughter’s lively nature causes many of the townspeople to worry, causing the Governor to spring into action. The people of Boston believe that Pearl has demon-like qualities and that the only way to purge her of these qualities is to have Pearl be raised by someone other than Hester. I do not think Pearl is truly a demon, but I am slightly frightened of her.
I am not entirely sure if you want me to list my predictions, so to be safe I’ll list some. I predict that Reverend Dimmesdale is the father. When Hester refuses to name the father, Dimmesdale is very shocked. I think this is because he was almost positive that she would call his name. He did not think she would keep his name a secret. I also think Pearl is going to grow up and face many tribulations. Her enthusiastic nature may lead to some problems as she gets older.
Amy Heath
Even though we have just started The Scarlet Letter, I have already been able to make predictions about the plot. My only major prediction is that Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale is the father of Hester Prynne’s baby, Pearl. On the back of our books, the summaries talks about “…the fiery, tortured Reverend Dimmesdale….” This is a really big foreshadow, and I do not believe it should be written on the back of the book. It gives too much away. Another reason I believe that the father will be Rev. Dimmesdale is because on page 125, the Reverend exclaims “No!—Not to thee!—not an earthly physician!” after Chillingsworth questions the Reverend about wounds to his soul. He will not reveal his secret to any earthly physician, but only to a heavenly one. This is foreshadowing that the Reverend has a big secret to reveal. And what just happens to be the only big secret in this book? The identity of Hester’s baby daddy.
ReplyDeleteThe major theme I am detecting in this book is salvation, even after great sin. Hester constantly wonders about the state of her soul. Can God forgive a sin such as hers? We as Christians know that God can forgive any sin, but the Puritans did not have similar beliefs. Hester’s struggle with her salvation will prove to be a major theme in this book.
This book comments on Puritan beliefs. I think the Puritans were extremely overly radical in their beliefs. (Crazy, perhaps? I won’t go there.) This book shows just that with Hester’s sentence. Her scarlet letter is, in my opinion, ridiculous. I am not sure if this is what the Puritans believe, but God will forgive and forget any sin, so why should everyone else be constantly reminded of it? This book shows the difference between Puritan beliefs and Church of Christ beliefs.
I think Pearl is a sweet kid. She seems totally ignorant of the constant grief she causes her mother. I find her antics, such as dancing on a grave, rather silly. I hope she does not get taken away from Hester, and I hope we find out how she came to be. Who was her father (if not Dimmesdale) and how did Hester become so entangled in sin? I look forward to the end of the story and the answering of all questions.
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~Brantly Houston
Nathaniel Hawthorne makes his story about Hester Prynne insightful and interesting. Hawthorn, in this story, shares insight into the Puritan world with his readers. Hawthorn makes the Scarlet Letter not only a story but also a commentary. Hawthorne might not directly comment on Puritan ways, (“The Puritans were pilgrims who were too harsh”) but he definitely indirectly gives his comments on the Puritan way of life. His opinions can be seen in his overwhelmingly acute sensory details. If these details are pleasing, he is usually for something and vice-versa. Hawthorne fills his story with characters that are interesting from the beginning. Characters such as Pearl serve to make the book what it is. Pearl is an interesting child. Based on my interpretation of the book, Pearl is a mischievous, demon of a child, “it was as if an evil spirit possessed the child….” However, other sources point to the possibility that the child was normal and the only thing that made it appear devilish was Hester’s perception of it, “Day after day, she looked fearfully into the child’s expanding nature, ever dreading to detect some dark and wild peculiarity, that should correspond with the guiltiness to which she owed her being.” It seems to be implied that Hester looks and looks for evil, until she finds it within her mind and projects it onto Pearl. The child seems to do all the things that regular children do but, again, Hester’s view of the child makes Pearl seem imbued with evil.
ReplyDeleteI think that the book will only get more chaotic, puzzling, and mysterious from here on out. I obviously would like to know who the father of Hester’s child is, and my curiosity gets so great sometimes that I feel like I am interrogating Hester on the scaffold and I am the one saying, “I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer!” I also am anxious to know how long Chillingworth’s identity can remain secret, and also how long Hester will go without uttering her lover’s name to the world. I think that Pearl will only become more troublesome; whether that be in reality or in her mother’s mind, is still a mystery though. I also want to know if Chillingworth will ever succeed in his goal of finding Hester’s lover.
The Scarlet Letter truly is a documentary of this time period because it showcases the extreme Puritan beliefs that were THE majority during this time. In chapter two there are some major indicators of Puritan beliefs. The town women talk about how Hester's punishment is too light! Now, people get away with adultery all the time and there is no public punishment for one who cheats on his or her spouse. This book really submerges us into the 1600's Puritan world that Hester is living in.
ReplyDeleteMy perception of Pearl is that she is a lively, imaginative toddler who loves exploring the world. At the same time, I think that she is smarter than most at her age; she picks up on things such as people making fun of her and her mother. As mentioned earlier in the book, the child really does absorb the mother's emotions, good or bad. Pearl has absorbed Hester's emotions.
I have a couple of predictions. I really think that Rev. Dimmesdale is Pearl's father. I think this because he seemed very relieved when Hester did not reveal the identity of her baby's father at the first "hearing." I also think that Chillingworth or Master Prynne knows that Rev. Dimmesdale is the father. I think he knows this because when they were all at the governor's house, Chillingworth noticed that Rev. Dimmesdale and Pearl had a small moment of closeness, as if they knew each other.
Aubrie
P.S. I would have used quotes but somehow my book fell out of my binder and into my locker. Sad day...
I think that The Scarlet Letter very accurately represents the era of American History that it depicts. Hawthorne describes the Puritans as being "a people amongst whom religion and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly interfused, that the mildest and severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful." This statement rings very true. The Puritans were a very severe people who punished harshly things that today might seem almost fickle.
ReplyDeleteMy personal feeling over Pearl is that of pity. Even as a child, Pearl experienced many tribulations. When Pearl was but a babe, "drawing its sustenance from the maternal bosom, seemed to have drank in with it all the turmoil, the anguish and despair, which pervaded the mother's system." As she continues to grow up, she displays some odd behavior, I think, a product of having no father figure to help raise her. Her mother is so fully consumed in her guilt that this could surely not have created an ideal situation for raising a child. However, Pearl still displays maturity and healthiness in some situations. "Pearl, that wild and flighty little elf, tole softly towards him, and taking his hand in the grasp of both her own, laid her cheek against it; a caress so tender, and withal so unobtrusive…"
I have formulated a few predictions, none of which I am sure are correct, but I will share one with you. I think that Reverend Dimmesdale might possibly be the secret and shameful lover of Hester Prynne. I think so because of his awe of her keeping the secret of her lover's name, him protecting her from having Pearl taken away, and also how the normally fierce Pearl shows such gentle affection to him after this heroic act. I do not know if this prediction is correct, but I thought I would give it a shot.
-Katie May
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ReplyDeleteNathaniel Hawthorne’s story about Hester Prynne greatly reflects the Puritan society that it was written in. The Scarlet Letter gives a very clear view of Puritan how Puritan society worked. Puritans believed that religion and law were exactly the same, so breaking religious conduct was breaking the law to them. They are extremely judgmental of Hester Prynne and her child. The Puritans believe that a child I born with original sin. Hester Prynne is condemned “…to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom." Hester is heavily judged for her sin, and so is her child.
ReplyDeleteHester eventually begins to see her daughter, Pearl, as a shadow of her judgment and sin. Pearl is horribly spoiled and neglected by her mother. Hester does not discipline her, fearing she will end up like herself. However, I believe Hester’s neglectfulness to teach her daughter to behave will get Pearl into a great amount of trouble in the future.
I believe that throughout the rest of this book, we will find more clues to who the man is who she won’t reveal. Also, I believe we will find out more about Roger Chillingworth and Hester’s past.
Rachel