Austin's Reaction to Chapters 19-21

Chapter 19 of this section really intrigued me, and the thing that intrigued me the most from this chapter was Nathaniel Hawthorne’s use of mirrors once again. He constantly discusses Pearl’s reflection in the brook. He portrays each reflection as if it is actually her because it is so clear. Hawthorne is doing this to show us that Pearl is a part of nature and therefore, she reflects perfectly in it. “And beneath, in the mirror of the brook, there was the flower-girdled and sunny image of little Pearl, pointing her small forefinger too (page 205).” Every one of her movements can be seen not only through Pearl, but also through the brook very clearly. This is showing that Pearl is one with nature and that she is also wild like nature. It also once again reiterates the fact that Pearl is like the brook. Pearl and the brook both are very mysterious and they both are hidden by deep shadows. Pearl is covered by the shadows of sin caused by her parents through adultery, and the brook lies in the shadows of the forest, which is seen by society as an evil forest in which the Devil works. Hawthorne felt it was important to once again get his point across that Pearl resembles nature and the forest in that they are both outside society, and this chapter gave me a much better understanding of Hawthorne’s point in this.

Dimmesdale

I am really on the fence about how I feel about Dimmesdale right now. Up until this point I was very fond of him. He has obviously been concealing a great burden. I believed that he was doing this to protect his congregation. Now, I'm not so sure. Is Dimmesdale really just a coward? He appears to care for Hester and Pearl very much. However, if I were he I would have made a much better effort in trying to connect with my lover and daughter.
Dimmesdale said that he was afraid of anyone noticing the resemblence between himself and Pearl. I'm not sure if he was really ashamed of the part of himself that he saw in her or if he just wanted to protect himself, his daughter, and the church congregation. He certainly remembers Pearl's tenderness at the house of the governor.
Pearl senses that Dimmesdale has not fully accepted her. She knows that he will not hold her hand in public which is something that she has wanted more than anything. When he kisses her she washes it off in the stream and does not accept him. She knows that her father is a hypocrite. Hypocrite seems like a very strong word. If you think about it everyone is a hypocrite in some way whether you care to admit it or not. Dimmesdale does not have much courage and he has concealed his secret for so long that it is almost impossible for him to admit it. He believes that his only means of escape is to run away with Hester and Pearl where he can never be found.
It was hard for me to make this blog entry because I think that I criticized Dimmesdale pretty harshly. For some reason I have some great connection with him. Maybe it is just compassion. I'm really not sure. He is definately my favorite character in the book.

Andy's Scarlet Letter Reaction

I think one of the things that intrigued me the most was how Pearl seemed to openly deny the affection that Dimmesdale gave to her, and make the two adults realize that the love they all shared could only be true if Dimmesdale admitted his part of the sin. When Pearl washed away the kiss, it was only a reminder that love could only be built on the truth, and not the falsehood the minister lived. After the minister and Hester created their final plans to move away, the village seemed a little different to him when he was heading back home. It appeared that he had all these sudden urges to associate himself with sin, rather than remain a fake Puritan leader. I think that he was finally coming to terms with himself, and because he lived closely with the sin he and Hester shared only a few moments ago, he began to realize that this is his currently reality. He is a sinner and must repent, but until he does he will remain a sinner, and have a sinner's mind. The other thing that caught my attention, was Roger Chillingworth's sly move to place himself on the same boat Hester and Dimmesdale planned to run away on. It seems that by making this one final move, Chillingworth places Dimmesdale in a situation, where only his final words admitting his sin, will let him go free along with his family.

JT's thoughts on Chapters 19-21

I thought that this was a very interesting section of the book. The first thing I found interesting was that Pearl refused to cross the brook and come to Hester until she put the scarlet letter on. Then after she finally did cross Dimmesdale kissed her, and she went and washed off her face where he had kissed her in the brook. I thought that this showed that Pearl would not love Dimmesdale until he revealed his sin to the world. Chapter 20 was also very intersting. In this chapter Dimmesdale walked through the town and was tempted to do some terrible things. I thought some of the things he thought of doing were very funny, such as teaching the kids bad words. I could just picture the kids going to their parents and saying their new word the learned, and the terrible reaction that the parents would have. In Chapter 21 there was one part in particular that I liked. It was when the sailor informed Hester that Chillingworth was coming on the boat to England with them. It pretty much shattered the plans that she and Dimmesdale had made. I think it will make for a big conflict in the coming chapters.

A Pearly Scene - By: Matthew Huffman

Of the three chapters (19-21), i felt that chapter nineteen was the most interesting. This chapter begins with Hester speaking of Pearl's beauty to Arthur Dimmesdale. She brings up the fact that the flowers around her make her look exceptionally beautiful, and that not even pearls, rubies, and daimonds could make her look prettier than she did at that point. She also brings up the fact that Pearl has the minister's brow. The minister said he worried about Pearl having some of his features because people might recognize him as the father. However, he denies that she does even though it is clear the Pearl has some facial features that are clearly his. I find this interesting because, even though the minister claims to love Pearl and want to be honest about what happened, he still denies that she looks like him. To me, this is away of not wanting to claim her. Also, he still will not walk hand-in-hand with them. This is because he has still not accepted the responsibility for his sin, and he doesn't want to face the consequences.

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.

Tom's Thoughts on Chapter 20

Hey, did anyone else find the image of the confused Dimmesdale kind of going on a rampage through town hilarious? You could almost imagine this guy popping some kid's balloon and knocking a little girl's ice-cream on the ground. Funnier still is that the book is written very proper and wordily, so that something like, "He was going to tell a deacon that Jesus sucks," the book reads, "Now, during a conversation of some two or three moments between the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale and this excellent and hoary-bearded deacon, it was only by the most careful self-control that the former could refrain from uttering certain blasphemous suggestions that rose into his mind, respecting the communion supper." I don't know about you, but I found all of this hilarious.

But of course under the hilarity there is some sort of meaning or point to be made. That point being that now Mr. Dimmesdale had a plan to get away from this place and start anew, without having to reveal his secret. Sure, the exodus to Europe would offer some kind of relief, but it is not the same as revealing his secret. However, his unprecedented change in behavior is possibly tied to this fact that he now plans to escape without letting anyone know about his sins. This perhaps makes him subconsciously seek out trouble and do wicked things so that attention may be drawn to him and possibly force him into revealing his dark sin. Or maybe he's just a big, old meany.

Pearl -- Emily Huffman

Throughout the entire novel, Pearl has displayed inhuman characteristics. She has always seemed to have a special instinct about different situations. For example, in tonight’s reading, she knows that it is not yet time for Hester to remove the letter. She throws a tantrum until Hester decides to wear the letter for a few more days. Pearl also knows that Mr. Dimmesdale must confess his sins. She persistently requests that he confess that he is part of their family in front of the entire town.
Pearl’s natural instincts insights have led some readers to view Pearl as a child who is mature for her age. I don’t think that many people take into account that she is still a very young child. I believe that Pearl’s mischievous personality is due to the fact that she is immature, not that she is evil. Pearl confirms that she is only a young child when she becomes jealous of Mr. Dimmesdale in chapter 19. She thinks that he is taking her place in Hester’s heart and refuses to show any love toward him. She also proves her immaturity when she is unable to address Hester without the scarlet letter. Just like many children, Pearl has a hard time dealing with change, especially in regards to a loved one. I believe that Pearl, rather than being evil, displays characteristics of a normal child.

The Thoughts of Michelle

The most interesting part that I found in this reading was when Hester put the Scarlet Letter back on. She put the letter on to sooth Pearl and bribes her to come over to her. It amazed me that Pearl acted like she did not recognize her mother without the letter. I believe she did this so that her mother would not forget that the letter is what is holding together her and Dimmesdale. I applaud Hawthorne for his use of imagery in this paragraph. You could really see in your mind when her face and spirit dropped when she put on the letter. All of her beauty and youthfulness drowned away from her body when she put the letter on to her chest. I was confused with why there was such a change in her because Hester made me believe that the symbol did not mean anything to her. I always thought that the mark on her soul was what made her upset. I was surprised when she completely transformed when the letter was placed on her. I also heard a little resentment towards Pearl from Hester. She almost blamed her daughter for the grief she felt when she had the letter on. The final thing I would like to touch on is when Pearl kisses the letter. I think she sees the letter as a good symbol of her parents love and she is trying to get her mother to realize that the letter is not a bad thing.

The Escape..dun dun dunnn...by kayla

In the beginning of chapter nineteen Dimmesdale confessed to Hester his fear of the public recognizing his features in Pearl. As Pearl approaches them she points to her mother and "bursts into a fit of passion". Dimmesdale puts his hand over his heart as a reaction to cover his scarlet letter. Pearl only calms down after Hester puts her hair back up and pins the letter back on her chest. This showed strong symbolism between Pearl and Hester. It shows that the letter seems to in a way overpower Hester's motherly figure. Pearl can not see her mother the same way without the letter.
In Chapter twenty we see Dimmesdale as a new man. It focuses on Dimmesdale's new outlook. Now that Dimmesdale has decided Europe is the best choice he has been healthier and had a better outlook. But when Dimmesdale arrives back in the town he has incredible desires to do wrong. I think this is Dimmesdale's conscience telling him things won't become better if you run from the problem, you have to face it. This is one of the main themes in this story.
In Chapter twentyone Hester and Pearl are watching the Election Sermon. Pearl asks Hester if Dimmesdale will be joining them like he did on the scaffold that night. Pearl also describes him as the sad man with his hand always over his heart. This shows us that children can notice the small things adults tend to look over as nothing. Pearl knew something was bothering Dimmesdale while the entire community noticed nothing. In this chapter Hester also finds out Chillingworth will be boarding the ship to Europe also. This rises question in Hester. I think Chillingworth's plan is to follow Dimmesdale so he can not escape the torture.

I don't want it

I find The Reverend's thoughts during chapter 19 to be very interesting. Hester opens the chapter by commenting on the beauty of her daughter, and she mentions some physical traits that Pearl shares with her father. I find it very interesting that at this point, Pearl's most beautiful moment, her father denies the traits he has passed on to his daughter. It almost seems that he does not want anything to do with the child. The unprecedented nature of these feelings is reenforced when Hester and Dimmesdale reflect on their meeting at the scaffold. There has always been a strange companionship between Dimmesdale and his daughter. A feeling that Dimmesdale has tried to hold on to for as long as possible, for instance on the scaffold. Knowing full well that he has such great love for his daughter, it is strange to see him almost deny ownership of her in this scene.

Hawk's Muses on CH 19-21

This was quite an interesting section of the book. Hester putting her “A” emblem and cap back on was highly symbolic. It was much more than a way to get Pearl to stop her tantrum and come to her. By putting the “A” and cap back on, Hester showed that her past sin is still very much a part of her. She cannot get away from her sinful past, no matter what she does. This act of putting her “A” and cap back on foreshadows Hester’s discovery at the end of Chapter 21, when she learns that Chillingworth is going to be on the same ship as her, Dimmesdale, and Pearl. Hester is trying to escape her past by fleeing to the Old World, but since Chillingworth is going to follow her, she will not be able to leave it behind. If she still goes to the Old World, Hester will bring her past with her, personified in the character of Roger Chillingworth. I also thought Dimmesdale was having some rather peculiar thoughts as he came back to town. I saw Dimmesdale’s rendezvous with Hester in the woods as a freeing experience, but Dimmesdale seems to view it as something sinful. He thinks that he wants to torment old women, virgins, and children because when he met with Hester, he aligned himself with the devil once and for all. I think Dimmesdale is just a big pessimist who thinks everything he does is sinful because he made one mistake. He does not trust his heart to distinguish between good and evil any more. I think he needs to stop worrying so much and just follow his heart, because he is a generally good man when he doesn’t worry.

The New Man

Pearl had always thought of Dimmesdale as the minister, or the man who would never confess his sins with them or accept them when out in public. I believe that she understands the meaning of which he is but needs that closure or source of truth. We realize that she doesn’t accept him in chapter 19 when he kisses her forehead. I suppose that, like most children, if you don’t comply with there wishes, they wont accept any generosity from you. After this scene, Dimmesdale’s life began to change in a way he never expected.
When Dimmesdale re-entered the town, he entered with a totally new concepts and beliefs. He wanted people to know that he was a sinner and a blasphemer and that he wasn’t the man they all thought he was. Everyone wanted him to be glorifying and he just wasn’t. Hester and he were going to leave for the New World, but before they do he got to give his sermon. This was useful to him because the holiday was dedicated to those who have stepped between the individuals in love. Dimmesdale’s sermon that he had written before he ventured into the forest had little impact on what he wanted to say when he returned. He threw everything away, which I deemed to be his past, and started over, with a clean sheet!

Stupid Dimmesdale and His Stupid Ironies

Dimmesdale is really starting to grind my gears. He is a gigantic hypocrite and has completely deluded himself. He says that he is afraid that people will recognize his features in Pearl’s face, but then is upset when Pearl does not want to be loved by him. He complains about how children don’t like him, yet he does not remember the time Pearl came up and held his hand in the governor’s mansion. He comes back to Boston ecstatic that he is leaving, but full of false humility. He is upset that the old witch is talking to him about the Black Man, when he pretty much just returned from the Black Man. Also, when he sees Chillingworth, he is upset that this man is leading a double existence to harm him, but Dimmesdale is doing the same thing, and leading the same kind of double existence for the public. Earlier in class, I defended Dimmesdale by saying that the only thing that kept him from confessing was his fear that he would hurt his parishioners. I don’t believe it anymore. Dimmesdale is just afraid to confess. That is why he is running away.

A Brief Glimpse into Adam's thoughts on Chapters 19-21

In chapter 19, Hawthorne is able to use the symbols of light and mirrors again. Pearl’s beauty is stressed, and this is all magnified by the golden lights shining on her and her reflection in the brook. It is also very interesting that Pearl refuses to come to her mother when Hester is not wearing the scarlet letter. Pearl grew up knowing the letter, and in fact, Pearl is the letter. I think that Pearl is smarter than we give her credit for, because she points out how peculiar it is that Dimmesdale will only speak with them at night or in the cover of the woods. Pearl also has strong feelings against Dimmesdale which is shown by her washing the kiss off of her forehead. Perhaps she is angered at Dimmesdale for not declaring his sin openly. Speaking of Dimmesdale, he has some more emotional changes. He is severely tempted by sin, and yet barely manages to overcome. I especially liked that passage on page 220 that explained how two men can come so close to talking about a topic that they both dread, and yet still avoid it. I see this happening in everyday life, and now that I think about it, it is pretty peculiar. A strong symbol in chapter 21 occurs on page 223 in how Pearl is dressed. I also enjoyed reading about how Pearl in her actions was reflecting her mother’s hidden emotions. The nautical men were a welcome break from the strict Puritanism, and I find them fascinating. Lastly, I can’t wait to see how the escape to England plays out. Chillingworth seems genuinely evil, and I anticipate a fierce struggle between Hester and him over Dimmesdale. Another important event is Pearl choosing whether or not to cross the brook. She must decide whether to remain in the pureness of wild nature, or to come to her mother, a social outcast, and Dimmesdale, who is still full of guilt. In essence, I see this as a choice between choosing to refuse to conform to society versus accepting society's rules.

Pearl's Fit

Pearl stands in front of the brook pointing at her mother's bosom with a frown. As her mother continued to call her she stamps her foot. Pearl then burst into a fit of passion moving violently into the most interesting positions. This was all accompanied by shrieks and screams. Then her mother realizes the problem, her scarlet letter is missing. Pearl has not seen her without her letter Pearl’s whole entire life. Once her mother puts back on the letter, her hat and shadow of guilt and sin, Pearl comes to her and acts as if nothing had happened. This intrigued me, mainly for the reason we have never seen Pearl act this way. She is definitely a necessary character and up until this point this part of the story had been rather cheerful. When Pearl does not act normally, I realized something was wrong. Her reaction to the fact both her mother and Dimmesdale were in the same frame of vision to her was to throw a childish fit. This must show her true feelings behind their relationship. I think her fit was a way to show that she does not like Dimmesdale. With further reading, I believe this to be true. The reason I think Pearl does not like Arthur is for the fact he has yet to show his love in the light, and has only recognized them in the darkness.

Pearl as a Part of Nature

Chapters 19-21

Alright, I’m going to have to contradict a little of what Alex said here. I do think that Pearl is very natural, but she doesn’t want to become part of the Puritan society. As we have established in class, Pearl seems to be one with nature; this is something that the Romantics greatly valued and tried to stress in their writing. Pearl can’t want to be a part of both the Puritan society and nature at the same time. I believe that Hawthorne wanted us to view Pearl as a good force in this book since she is childlike and is a part of nature; since she is part of nature, she can’t be one with society which the Romantics viewed as a bad institution that people should try to escape from.

Although Pearl is one with nature and the letter is a symbol of society and the punishment it has inflicted upon Hester, Pearl wanted her mother to put the letter back on because Pearl’s main mission in the novel seems to be to constantly remind her mother of the sin she has committed. Thus, Pearl snatches up this opportunity to once again remind her mother of the adulterous act she has committed by forcing Hester to put on the letter and pull up her hair. Pearl avoids Dimmesdale for the same reason; she is reminding him of the sin he committed but is also angry with him because will not go and confess his true self to the town. That is why Pearl runs away from him and tries to scrub off the kiss that he gave her. Pearl seems to be playing a reverse role in the novel; she is a child but she seems to know what actions can save her parents while Hester and Dimmesdale remain clueless and intent on running away to escape from their sin.

Pearl as the Romantic Hero of the Book

I think that Pearl is the Romantic hero of The Scarlet Letter. First of all, Pearl had a noble purpose in the work in that she is attempting to bring Hester and Dimmesdale back together and free Dimmesdale from his torturous guilt in this. Pearl is obviously a child at seven years old and possesses a childish innocence in her character. She is the only person in the book that is not marred by guilt or sorrow. As Hester said, “If thou hadst a sorrow of thine own, the brook might tell thee of it.”(pg. 182) Pearl was connected with nature in significant ways. She played in the woods and all the creatures loved her and treated her with kindness. Even the mirror image of Pearl in the brook was described as making Pearl, “more refined and spiritual than reality.”(pg. 204) This quote also leads to the quality of Romanticism that breaks away from a “dull reality” into a more spiritual view, which Pearl does in this book. Pearl is also more comfortable isolated from society than when she is in the midst of people, yet another characteristic of Romantic heroes. Although Pearl has not made any significant actions or heroic deeds in the story thus far, she has portrayed the concept of Romanticism and the Romantic hero the most effectively out of all the characters.

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.

Not Fully Human

“Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into the town?”

Looking for control and a unified family, Pearl asks her mother if Dimmsdale will go back into town with them. In the forest were she has played amongst creatures before, Pearl begins to resemble a creature herself. In past discussions we have went over Pearl's animalistic traits.

Why does this matter? Because it is the center of the abstract symbolism that surrounds Pearl as a whole! We see Pearl in Hawthorne's eyes: an innocent girl born as a symbol of sin who, unlike most Puritan children, refuses to conform. In my opinion, Pearl does not conform because she realizes that she will never be good enough in the eyes of Puritan society. Although a pearl is shiny and perfect, Pearl is broken due to the absence of her father. Although I believe that she has known all along whom Dimmsdale is, she cannot become completely human until Dimmsdale admits that she is in fact his daughter. Because the acknowledgement has not yet been made, Pearl will continue to stay broken. She refuses Dimmesdale's kiss because he continues to abandon her and she refuses to feel love to someone who cannot show it back.