How is Pearl treated by the townspeople?
She was born because of a passion that got carried away, hence her wild and unruly nature. Townspeople believe Pearl is the incarnation of the Devil, while Hester believes Pearl is the physical embodiment of her sin. Hester believes that, while society punishes her for sinning, God has a different reaction.
How does Hester’s character evolve in Chapter 5?
The townspeople all look down on Hester and publicly disrespect her. When she is mocked, she feels insulted but never tries to retaliate. How does Hester’s character evolve? She becomes more humble and charitable after having the revelation that everyone is guilty of having sin in their hearts.
What symbol has Hester become?
The scarlet letter is meant to be a symbol of shame, but instead it becomes a powerful symbol of identity to Hester.
How does Pearl react to punishment?
How does Pearl react to punishment? She thinks the child is a devil child and wasn’t at peace unless pearl was sleep. She doesn’t like the other children because she gets made fun of, and when she does she throws rocks at the other children.
Why does Pearl say I have no Heavenly Father?
In Chapter six of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, “Hester at Her Needle”, Pearl tells her mother that she (Pearl) has no heavenly father. This is because Pearl is meant to be an extension of Hester, and Hester’s symbol of guilt and sin.
In what way does the symbol of the scarlet letter change or grow in Chapter 5?
Similar to Hester’s becoming a living symbol of immoral behavior, the scarlet A becomes an object with a life seemingly its own: Whenever Hester is in the presence of a person who is masking a personal sin, “the red infamy upon her breast would give a sympathetic throb.”
What type of dress did pearl wear?
Chapter 7 describes Pearl’s attire as “a crimson velvet tunic, of a peculiar cut, abundantly embroidered with fantasies and flourishes of gold thread.” Just attire set Pearl apart, as traditionally Puritans dressed in plain and somber colors, without much adornment at all.
What does Pearl’s name symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
At the beginning of chapter five it states that she was named Pearl because she was “of great price-purchased with all she had,-her mother’s only treasure!” So, Pearl’s name is symbolic of the price that Hester had to pay in order to bear her.
Does Pearl love her mom?
Pearl loves her mother; Hester is, in fact, the only person in Pearl’s life whom Pearl knows and trusts intimately, because the two of them live in relative isolation from the rest of the community. Though Pearl is rather impish and not particularly obedient, it is clear that her attachment to her mother is sincere.
What happens in Chapter 5 of the Scarlet Letter?
The Scarlet Letter Chapter 5 Summary & Analysis. About three years pass. Hester, now free from prison, decides not to leave Boston. She takes Pearl to live in an abandoned cabin on the outskirts of town. Hester’s sin drives her to the border of society and nature. Hester supports herself as a seamstress.
What does the Scarlet Letter represent to Hester?
The scarlet letter — what it represents — separates Hester from society, but it enables her to recognize sin in the very same society that banishes her. Hawthorne uses this dichotomy to point out the hypocritical nature of Puritanism: Those who condemn Hester are themselves condemnable according to their own set of values.
Who are the main characters in the Scarlet Letter?
Character List. Mistress Hibbins – Mistress Hibbins is a widow who lives with her brother, Governor Bellingham, in a luxurious mansion. She is commonly known to be a witch who ventures into the forest at night to ride with the “Black Man.” Her appearances at public occasions remind the reader of the hypocrisy and hidden evil in Puritan society.
Are there any alliteration in the Scarlet Letter?
In fact, the rumor spreads through town that the scarlet letter is itself a sort of fire and that it can be seen to glow in the dark. This is, of course, untrue. There are several examples of alliteration in this chapter, including “familiar fireside” and “morbid meddling.”
