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Our reading starts off by driving home the fact that Hester Prynne feels deeply guilty, yet she will not flee society because of her guilt and she commits to raising her daughter at her side. She makes money from an embroidery business, which ironically flourishes with ample customers in the Puritan community, however, with her money, Hester lavishly dresses Pearl (not herself) and donates the rest to charity. Hester is faced with nothing but contempt and alienation, yet I got the sense that she hasn’t hardened in face of all the hate; Pearl ON THE OTHER HAND won’t let anyone shame her mama! So cute. I am worried it’ll get Pearl in a tough spot in the future, though.
One of the most interesting things in our reading, in my opinion, was Hester’s supernatural sense of others who shared her sin but in secret. “If truth were everywhere to be shown, a scarlet letter would blaze forth on many a bosom besides Hester Prynne’s?” (Hawthorne, 78). We should talk about this!!!
In chapter 7, we learn more about Pearl’s personality. Girlie is a wild thang. Hester feels that some epigenetics are at play in shaping Pearl’s fiery, spirited personality. This makes me really want to read about Hester’s life before the opening of the book; I hope Hawthorne infuses some flashbacks as we progress through the rest of the story! Back on topic, Pearl also seems to have a profound understanding, for a three year old, of the adversity which she and her mother face in the world. Hester really is’t sure what to make of Pearl’s capriciousness and her recurring fascination with her mother’s scarlet A, though.
On a different note, it truly is so sad that Hester (a mother who allows her daughter’s free spirit to develop and also tries her best to impart religious teachings so intently) would face the possibility of losing guardianship over her daughter. Especially when this potentiality is pursued by a governor whose “mansion might have befitted Aladdin’s palace, rather than the mansion of a grave old Puritan ruler” (92)... suspiciously hypocritical…
Before digging into my theories about chapter 8, I want to touch on the AMPLE mention of roses in this chapter. Hawthorne really pushes foreward the relationship between Pearl, the scarlet letter, Hester, and roses. Okay having gotten all that out of the way, let’s move on!
Like we were thinking last class, Mr. Dimmesdale is currently the FRONT RUNNER for Mr. baby daddy! Chapter 8 details this loud and clear…
An impassioned Hester turns to the minister to back her up in her plea to keep Pearl. This decision is put in an impulsive light… Hmm. Is it really impulsive to beg for the help of one’s pastor? That feels logical. It would only be impulsive if Hester had chosen to ignore the presence of Mr. Dimmesdale up until that point. Why wouldn't you want to awknowledge him, Hester? Hmmm?? Right after Hester’s passionate plea to the pastor, the same ooh-ing over Mr. Dimmesdale’s quality of voice repeats from chapter 3. HMMM. You all know how I feel about that... very suspicious.
Just as Mr. Chilingsworth was described as having grown uglier (OUCH) by this time, Mr. Dimmesdale has grown sickly and melancholy. Have you, perhaps, been stricken with guilt, Mr Dimmesdale?!
Mr. Dimmesdale speaks in favor of Hester remaining Pearl’s guardian. It would be SO ironic if he is indeed Hester’s old lover, because Chillingsworth notes how Mr. Dimmesdale speaks with “a strange earnestness” about Hester’s right to parent Pearl (103).
To really drive Mr. Dimmesdale’s lead home, Pearl literally takes the minister’s hand and places it on her cheek. Just a few minutes before, she had resisted being touched by Mr. Wilson. What innate force has caused this shift in the little girl’s sociability? HMMM. Hester is riveted by the exchange and she goes as far as to say that Pearl’s heart “hardly twice in her lifetime had been softened by such gentleness” as in that moment (104).
ADDITIONALLY, since Mr. Wilson says that every man can show “a father’s kindness toward” Pearl, why would Mr. Dimmesdale sneakily look around before giving Pearl a kiss on the forehead (104)? Why so shifty if you’re just showing the fatherly kindness you would show to any little girl. DOES IT PERHAPS HIT TOO CLOSE TO HOME, MR. DIMMESDALE?
I think we all know the answer 😇.
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