Pearl wants to know what the scarlet letter means. Hester is tempted to tell her
because she has no one else in whom she can confide
. … First, in the Hester-Chillingworth relationship is a marriage accepted and legal in every way but without love and passion.
What does Hester say in the scarlet letter?
Hester rebuffs Chillingworth’s insincere friendliness, telling him that the letter cannot be removed by human authority. Divine providence, she says,
will make it fall from her chest when it is time for it to do so.
What does Pearl conclude about what the scarlet letter means?
A second characteristic of Pearl shows that the scarlet letter means
truth as well as nature
. For all her faults, Pearl is the hardest truth-sayer in the novel. It is she who immediately recognizes Chillingworth as the ‘Black Man,’ or devil, in the community, telling Hester, ‘Come away, Mother!
What lie does Hester tell Pearl?
Hester tells Pearl that
it is the mark of the Black Man
. -is the lie Hester tells Pearl about her scarlet letter in Chapter 16 of The Scarlet Letter. Hester tells Pearl that it is the mark of the Black Man.
What does Hester say about Pearl?
Hester described Pearl as
“a doubtful charm, imparting a hard metallic luster to the child’s character”
(Hawthorne 168). Pearl has a wild energy in her nature to fight against sorrow. Even though Pearl’s abnormal behavior sometimes afflicts Hester, she supports Hester’s spirit and keeps her from danger.
Why does pearl not recognize her mother?
Pearl does not recognize her mother
because Hester has removed the scarlet letter and put her hair down
. Having resolved to leave America and start a new life in Europe with Dimmesdale, Hester has finally felt confident enough to rid herself of the public symbol of her shame.
Why is Pearl called the Elf child?
Pearl is therefore repeatedly referred to as an “elf” or “elf-child”
because of the way in which she is so different from other children.
Why did Hester take off The Scarlet Letter?
For Hester, to remove the scarlet letter would
be to acknowledge the power it has in determining who she is
. … Upon her return from Europe at the novel’s end, Hester has gained control over both her personal and her public identities.
What is the main message of The Scarlet Letter?
Major theme. The major theme of The Scarlet Letter is
shaming and social stigmatizing
, both Hester’s public humiliation and Dimmesdale’s private shame and fear of exposure.
Is Scarlet Letter A true story?
The Scarlet Letter is also
a historical novel
, in that it was written in 1850 but set in the 1640s and contains real-life settings, characters, and actual historical events.
Who does Pearl marry in the scarlet letter?
She receives occasional letters from Pearl, who has married
a European aristocrat
and established a family of her own. When Hester dies, she is buried next to Dimmesdale. The two share a single tombstone, which bears a scarlet “A.”
Why does Hester not confide in Pearl?
Why does Hester not confide in Pearl?
Hester realizes that it would not be fair of her to have Pearl know the true meaning behind the letter “A”
. By knowing why her mother wore the letter A, she would know that she was a major part of her mother’s sin.
Why does Hester marry Chillingworth?
Why does Hester marry Chillingworth? In The Scarlet Letter, Chillingworth married Hester
because he hoped to find some happiness in married life
, and she was young and beautiful. He had lived a pretty lonely and solitary existence for most of his years, and he longed for the happiness that he saw so many others enjoy.
How does Pearl become wealthy?
How does Pearl become wealthy?
She discovers pirates’ treasure. She marries the governor’s son
. She inherits Chillingworth’s estate and marries a nobleman.
What does pearl symbolize?
What does a pearl symbolize? Pearls are the ultimate symbol for
wisdom
. Valued for their calming effects, pearls represent serenity, while being able to strengthen valuable relationships and convey a sense of safety. Pearls also symbolize purity, as well as integrity and loyalty.
Why does Hester say she should keep custody of Pearl?
Hester argues to keep Pearl by
saying she can teach Pearl the faith through her mistakes and trials
, but also by saying Pearl is a daily reminder of the sin she committed.
