In Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, The Puritans were a strict group of radical Christians that believed that they better than everyone else. Their treatment of their fellow man shows this. They believed in punishment for sinners. This is evident in their treatment of Hester Prynne. They punished Hester by giving her the scarlet letter "A". This was the Puritan way of treating her as a criminal, for the crime of adultery. The Puritan treatment continued, because as Hester would walk the street, she would be looked down upon as if she were some sort of demon from hell. Pearl was the true punishment for the sin of adultery. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic individual, as well as an extremely important symbol- one who is constantly changing. Pearl is involved in a complex history, and as a result is viewed as different and is shunned beca
a child of the devil, and a black hearted girl because she is he result of sin. Although the Puritans felt they punished Hester, Pearl is the true punishment for her mother's sin. Pearl was a constant reminder of her mother's sin, the only bond between Hester and the man she loved, and the cause of much of Hester's pain and agony.
everend Dimmesdale convinces the government that Pearl is a living reminder of hr sin. This is essentially true, Hester without Pearl I like having Hester without sin. Even if Hester were to rip the letter from her chest, she could never rip Pearl from herself. Pearl was a painful reminder of her mother's violation. Pearl's childish behavior and endless questioning about the letter, implies that she knows more about the scarlet letter than she lets on.
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