Chapters 5-8 begin with the main character Hester several years after her release from prison. It becomes apparent that although Hester has been subjected to scorn by the Puritan community, she chose to remain in their presence. I was perplexed by this because Hester could have fled to where she could hide her past, a fact addressed in the book itself. The reasoning, albeit delusional, is that Hester believes that she should stay where she sinned, as reminder to others.
Another thing Hester does that I found odd was that she makes clothing that is in high demand by the people who ostracize her. They are so willing to ridicule every part of her being as sin, but the apparel she makes (despite its "non-Puritan" appearance) is popular among the community . It’s a little ironic, because the Puritan people care more about material items than upholding their total rejection of Hester, showing how they all emulate the deadly sin greed.
In chapter 6, Pearl is described as a both a gift and a curse. I was intrigued by the reasoning behind Pearl’s naming. Hawthorne writes “she named the infant ‘Pearl,’ as being of great price,- purchased of all she had” (81). Pearl was not named because her complexion reflected that of pretty jewelry, but because her birth was the largest price Hester has paid. Although Hester loves her daughter’s companionship in her loneliness, had Pearl never been born Hester would not be isolated in the first place. Pearl exhibits a similar attitude as her mother. Defiant, moody, and rebellious, Pearl serves as the living reminder to Hester of her sin. Reading these chapters, I was shocked to realize how aware Pearl was of her situation in society at only 3 years old. Hester is surprised at this and says “How soon […] Did Pearl arrive at an age that was capable of social intercourse.” (Hawthorne 85) and “what happiness would it have been could Hester Prynne hear clear, bird-like voice mingling with the uproar of other childish voices […] But this could never be.” (Hawthorne 85). It is depressing to Hester that Pearl was born of sin, and therefore the child emanates wrongdoing in a way that pushes society away from Pearl, just as it does for her mother. It is not just because her mother acts in a rebellious manner that Pearl is defiant, but it is necessity that Pearl holds this judgment toward Puritan faith. She can live with herself knowing that it is the practice of the religion that makes her being a sin, and that she has done nothing wrong in her mind.
Chapters 7 and 8 take place at the mansion of Governor Bellingham. Hester seeks to absolve rumors that Pearl might be taken from her, and it is convenient that she must deliver gloves to the Governor as well. The rumor stemmed from the thought that if Pearl is a “demon-child” then she should be taken from Hester to save Hester the trouble of raising such a child. However, the Governor reasons that perhaps Hester is not the best influence on Pearl either. It seems like a lose-lose situation on Hester's behalf. Upon the arrival of the Governor, Chillingworth, Wilson, and Dimmesdale, the men ask why Hester should keep Pearl, and Hester makes her case. She says that she can teach Pearl a valuable lesson, a lesson she learned the hard way. Dimmesdale seemingly comes to the rescue (whether it was for his own sake is uncertain) by declaring that Pearl is a gift (and curse) sent by God to Hester and that it is not the place of man to separate mother from child. As the girls leave the mansion, I found it odd that Bellingham's sister says to Hester “Wilt thou go with us tonight? There will be a merry company in the forest” (Hawthorne 106). It is peculiar that a known witch, a label equally as sinful as adulterer, could be allowed to live in the governor’s mansion, while Hester has been imprisoned and resorted to live in an abandoned cabin on the outskirts of society.
The gossamer thread I created was relating Hester to the popular Disney princess, Elsa. Both girls are cast from society by fear of what they are. Just as Hester is labeled as an adulterer, the people of Arendelle call Elsa a witch. Coincidentally, they share similar feelings of loneliness, but find beauty while ostracized. Hester crafts magnificent dresses with her keen aesthetic and needle work, and Elsa uses her powers to create a devastating blizzard that is just as gorgeous as it is deadly. Also, they both escape to dwellings on the perimeters of the society that once accepted them, Hester in the abandoned cabin and Elsa in her ice castle. Elsa learns to let it go, creating a monument of her power by plunging the fjord into winter. The product of Hesters adultery is Pearl, a girl who shares the rebellious attitude of her mother and is Hester’s only solace.
Here's a song I'm sure you have NEVER heard before /s
Very interesting thread, Nick. I actually had thought about this before and how Elsa and Hester are both kind, congenial people who end up isolated because of something they had kept hidden. Elsa keeps her powers a secret until one day loses control, much as how Hester was an average citizen, to our knowledge, before committing her sin. Hester also hides her sins behind her scarlet 'A', similarly to how Elsa hides her powers by wearing her gloves.
ReplyDeleteLike Nick said before, Pearl was not named because of her complexion. Pearl was named Pearl because of the sin Hester had to pay. Actual pearls are made by a grain of sand in an oyster. They are then gone through years of pressure, eventually turning into pearls. Like these pearls, Hester has to endure a lot for Pearl. She now has no real happiness and has been ostracized by the puritan society. Pearl is a living reminder of Hester’s hardships of the past and the present.
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