Hester who?

I was very surprised when Pearl would not advance over the brook until Hester had put the scarlet letter back on. There really seems to be no reason why Pearl would want her mother to put the letter back on even though without it she is much happier. The only thing that I could think of was that Pearl, because she is the result of her mother and Dimmesdale’s sin, she is more of a living scarlet letter than anything else. If this is the case I do not think that she believes Hester should be able to fling off her sin whenever she pleases, even if the price has been paid.
Also without the letter on Pearl did not even recognize her mother, as it said before in the book, it seemed like the first thing Pearl would see was the scarlet letter. However I do not think it was a fault at recognizing her, but accepting rather. She does not want to accept her mother without the scarlet letter on because she knows the truth and knows that even by throwing the letter aside now there is hidden guilt instead of a public display of guilt which the letter provided. Pearl in a way is trying to save Hester from what has become of the minister, his heart aches because of the guilt that he cannot let out, Pearl helps insure that Hester’s guilt remains open to everyone to see.