Pearl's Dilemma

Chapters 19-21
Pearl’s dilemma whether to cross the brook results from a fear of lonely isolation. From the moment she was born, Pearl, along with her mother, have been looked down upon in the Puritan community. With Hester by her side, Pearl was able to grow accustomed to this empty gap between her family and that of society. The moment Hester removes her scarlet letter, a symbol of this isolation, she becomes, once again, part of the Puritan community. The brook acts as the wall between the free natural world and this strictly conformed Puritan society. Pearl, knowing nothing but the nature she was born into, is scared to cross this barrier without her mother’s guidance. She understands that she, like the letter, will always represent a negative separation. As a result, Pearl fears she will never become truly human and gain a rightful and accepted place in Puritan society. Pearl eventually does cross the brook, but only because her mother returns the scarlet letter to its original place on her bosom. Once again, Pearl feels a unity with her mother, and therefore, she comes willingly across the water. Pearl sees Dimmesdale as an integral member of the Puritan community. By rejecting his kiss, she is rejecting society and attempting to keep her mother by her side.