In the chapter, "A Child at the Brook-Side" at the top of page 192 it reads: "For some unaccountable reason, as Arthur Dimmesdale felt the child's eyes upon himself, his hand with gesture so habitual as to have become involuntary stole over his heart. At length, assuming a singular air of authority, Pearl stretched out her hand, with the small forefinger extended, and pointing evidently towards her mother's breast. And beneath, in the mirror of the brook, there was the flower-girdled and sunny image of little pearl, pointing her small forefinger too."
I found this quote to be a key line in the chapter we read because if shows different emotions going on between Pearl and Dimmesdale. As Dimmesdale noticed Pearl was looking at her he placed his hand on the scared "A" over his heart. Earlier in the text he seemed to touch his scare while he was thinking about his sin out of pain. But, in this instance I believe it wasn't out of pain, I think the connection made him feel good out of the acknowledgment and connection he was having with his daughter.
Then, looking at the second part of this quote Pearl sees something that is so rare she may possibly never had seen it before. Pearl points her finger at Hester's bosom acknowledging the fact that Hester was not wearing her scarlet letter. Pearl in this sense does not approve. Pearl has always been proud to see her mother wearing the "A" for instance when they were at the governors mansion and she look into the battle armor and saw an image of only the letter in her mothers place and she was pleased! Now without the letter on Hester's bosom, Pearl simply disregards her mothers commands until she put the letter back on. I find this interesting because it shows the image that Pearl has been grown-up to recognize her mother as and without the letter she doesn't seem to be the same person in the eyes of her own daughter.
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I agree with what you said about how Pearl looks too Hester as 2 different people when she has her letter on and when she does not. This is very odd because Pearl is the letter. If she feels that about Hester imagine how she would feel about herself. She must be very confused about what kind of person she is and what her meaning in life is. one part i found a bit confusing was why does Pearl see the letter so differently when it is on and off because she is the letter. When Hester does not have the letter on she seems like a new person with a fresh start. Nobody knows what prior sins she has done. On the other hand when she is wearing the letter she is viewed as a sinner and that can never be forgotten among the townspeople and Pearl.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it was especially interesting that Pearl refused to obey Hester when she did not have the scarlet letter on. I think Pearl has gotten so used to the letter on Hester, that she is afraid of the woman Hester is without it. Pearl, being so used to constants. For seven years, she has lived in the same house with her mother, without the slightest thing changing. When Hester doesn't have the letter on, Pearl is afraid, and refuses to obey her mother, which I think is Pearl's way of refusing the change.... "Children will not abide any, the slightest, change in the accustomed aspect of things that are daily before their eyes." (193) Although this hurts Hester, it's a good think Hester was smart enough to realize why Pearl did not approve of this change. How do you think Dimmesdale feels about Pearl rejecting this change? Do you think Hester meant any harm by taking the scarlet letter off in the first place?
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point about Pearl not approving of the fact that Hester took off her "A". Pearl has never seen her without it on and by her reaction in the book you can tell that she is upset that her mother took it off. This raises the question of when will Hester tell Pearl what the "A" means and that it is not a good thing? Also i am still wondering why Hester hasn't told Pearl about who Dimmesdale really is.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all these points. Going back to Matt's point about Pearl being the scarlet letter, Pearl doesn't realize that she is the scarlet letter, I don't think. But also, I noticed that the only time Pearl is not glued to Hester's side is when Hester is not wearing the scarlet letter. When Hester isn't wearing the letter, Pearl refuses or has difficulty crossing the "border" or the stream over to Hester. If Hester is not wearing the letter, does Pearl think that Hester is not herself or that she is trying to be someone she is not?
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point Clayton about how at this point Pearl and Dimmsdale are sharing a connection. I believe that Dimmsdale put his hand over his heart to cover his scar because Pearl is also the letter and because she is staring directly at him, he feels the need to cover it up and hide it even still with no one else around. I think that this also shows us that Dimmsdale isn't ready to tell everyone what he did because like I just said even in the forest with no one else around he still felt the need to hide his mark and the truth.
ReplyDeleteClayton, I agree with your point about how at this point in the novel Pearl and Dimmesdale have a connection and how you think Pearl sees Hester differently based on if she is wearing the Scarlet Letter or not. To go along with Hannahs comment i think that if they decide to run away, what would Pearl do based on the fact that she wants Dimmesdale to reveal his secret?
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about how Pearl sees her mother as two different people with and without her scarlet letter on. Like we have discussed in class, in Hester's case, the scarlet letter is open to interpretation. Some people see it as "able" and others see it as "adultery". If Pearl wants her mother to be wearing the scarlet letter at all times, it most likely means that Pearl interprets the "A" as standing for something very positive. Pearl also sees it as something that is apart of her mother. She does not know her mother without her scarlet letter. After all, Hester held Pearl to her scarlet letter while standing on the scaffoldings; she was born with it. An analogy for this could be like a superhero who suddenly stops wearing their costume or uniform. People wouldn't be able to recognize the superhero and wouldn't accept him or her as their savior until they put back on their costume or uniform, the distinguishing feature (other than super powers) from regular civilians. This is how Pearl sees Hester without her scarlet letter (costume or uniform) on. When Hester takes off the scarlet letter, Pearl sees her as just another judgmental, angry puritan. It is also important to note that there have been several instances where Pearl seems to idolize the "A" on Hester's chest (playing with it, seeing it in the battle armor at the governor's mansion, and of course making Hester put it back on)
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about Dimmesdale finally feeling a connection with Pearl who he has struggled to understand and appreciate. I think that Dimmesdale finally is able to see the courage in Pearl and how she is a strong and brave girl who is not scared of he puritan societies belief's, unlike Dimmesdale who is afraid of who they would view him if they knew his secret.
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