The Duality of Pearl

Gordon Shi

(This essay was assigned by Mr. Joseph Murtauph, my junior year English teacher.)

            For as long as mankind has been reliant upon community, it has written its own laws to keep itself from unraveling and condemning its subjects to anarchy. However, the power to govern one’s own community is not simply a tool to safeguard against total chaos; it is more like a weapon that fills the wielder with an animalistic sense of pleasure on each strike. As it is not god who defines sin, but rather man’s tainted image of virtue and holiness, any man, woman, or child may be deemed a sinner by those with the influence to do so and be subsequently brought down by the hammer of “justice.” The Scarlet Letter’s Hester Prynne would have received the full force of this blow were it not for a shield she produced from her own womb. Her precocious daughter Pearl became not only a source of happiness in her miserable life but also a manifestation of something greater. By analyzing the circumstances of Pearl’s birth, examining her interactions with other characters, and delving into the literary and symbolic significance of her existence, one may come to the conclusion that the daughter of Hester Prynne represents the duality between childish innocence and societal sin.

            Unlike most children, Pearl is ostracized by her entire community before she even meets it for the first time, for she is the result of adultery between Hester and Arthur Dimmesdale. In this sense the name “Pearl” is significant; she resides in a mollusk and is therefore hard to locate, yet she is a rare and invaluable treasure. In addition, at the beginning of chapter 6 Hawthorne states that Pearl was “purchased with all [Hester] had” in an obvious reference to a parable told by Jesus in the book of Matthew in which a merchant sells everything he owns in order to purchase a “goodly pearl” (a metaphor for the kingdom of heaven). Pearl can offer her mother a heaven-like sanctuary away from her own personal hell, but Pearl would not have existed if it weren’t for the actions which cost Hester the opportunity to live a normal life. Ironically, the only escape Hester sees from the evils of Puritan society is the child she birthed through sin.

Perhaps it is the result of a life of isolation and loneliness, or perhaps it is the result of something supernatural that even the superstitious Puritans have no reasonable explanation for. Whatever the reason, Pearl seems to be intellectually much more advanced than not only her peers but also the men and women she interacts with. She even appears to have an understanding of the nature of her relationship with Arthur Dimmesdale, asking Hester on one occasion in chapter 16 why Dimmesdale “does not wear [the scarlet letter] outside his bosom, as [Hester] dost.” It is left ambiguous whether Pearl truly grasps the implication of the mark of shame her mother is forced to bear, but the quotation indicates that she clearly perceives that the minister’s mind is wracked with guilt and shame. In chapter 21, after Dimmesdale fails to publicly reveal his status as Pearl’s true father she proclaims that “here, in the sunny day, and among all the people, [Dimmesdale] knows us not, nor must we know him!” and she subsequently develops a noticeable dislike for him. It is likely that her resentment stems from her self-awareness of her identity, and by extension her anger towards her biological father for not being able to come to terms with his own sin.

It is worth mentioning that when Arthur Dimmesdale finally does claim Pearl as his daughter in chapter 23, her preternatural tendencies seem to disappear all at once. “As her tears fell upon her father’s cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor forever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it.” As Dimmesdale dies, her mission to bring Dimmesdale to face the truth of his sin comes to fruition and her main purpose is fulfilled, so she no longer needs to exist as a symbol of guilt or a living scarlet letter. What remains of Pearl’s identity is the core of who Pearl was all along. In order to fully understand Pearl’s character, one must recognize that in addition to being a reminder or a symbol or a messenger, Pearl is a human child. She was brought into the world with the purity and innocence of heart that all children were, and she learned about her world and her people just as all children do. This innocence is what makes Pearl truly compelling; she is too youthful to be corrupted by false ideals of nobility or holiness, for she is closer to God than those who grope about for him in a sea of religious texts and man-made truths.

            After analyzing Pearl’s history, her mentality, and her significance, one can gain a holistic understanding of the duality she represents. Even in today’s society, Pearl continues to serve as a reminder that there is a difference between sin and evil, holiness and pretentiousness, legality and morality.