Jacob's Quote

All Pearl really wants is for Dimmesdale to be true to himself as well as be true to the townspeople, so until Dimmesdale lets out his big secret, she will not accept him. While Hester and Dimmesdale were in the woods, Dimmesdale tries again to get his daughter to accept him,

The minister… hoping that a kiss might prove a talisman to admit him into the child’s kindlier regards bent forward, and impressed one on her brow. Hereupon, Pearl broke away from her mother, and, running to the brook, stooped over it, and bathed her forehead, until the unwelcome kiss was quite washed off, and diffused through a long lapse of the gliding water (195).

Dimmesdale has still yet to join Pearl and Hester on the scaffold and has yet to be true to himself. This is why when Dimmesdale lays this kiss on Pearl, she runs away immediately to wash it off because she does not like how much of a coward he is and she refuses to accept him for that reason.