1.22.08 | Hawthorne (day 5)
• Business
• Pearl and the A
• HW
– Finish the book for tomorrow.
– Upcoming schedule:
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Melville, thurs.
Poe, Mon.
Auster, Tues. – Tues.
First paper due [2/8]
“A”
• It is both a punishment for adultery and a
prideful sexy adornment, it makes imagination
feel sinful, crashing it on the rock of the real,
yet inspires imagination to contemplate sin,
unites Hester with all sinners and ostracizes
her.
• What does the symbol A mean?
Pearl
• "But, in truth, Pearl was the one, as well as the
other [Hester’s object of affection and the
emblem of her guilt and torture]; and only in
consequence of that identity had Hester
contrived so perfectly to represent the scarlet
letter in her appearance.“
– Pearl's dress
– "But it was a remarkable attribute of this garb, and indeed, of the child's
whole appearance, that it irresistibly and inevitably reminded the
beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to war upon her
bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter
endowed with life!" 92
• So we have to ask:
– What is the relationship between Pearl and the letter?
Pearl
• Character sketch.
– Elfish, impish: energetic, mysterious, imaginative, strange to H and others,
prefers woods, cut off from others, free-spirited, mischevious, jokster, in-tune
with nature, intuitive, observant, willful, not respectful.
– Obsessed w/ A
– stubborn
– Brave, not intimidated.
– Social considering her outcast status, outspoken
– Aggressive. Playing like gathering an army
– “Devil child”
– Passionate. From H’s state.
– Opposite of H and D. – wants to reveal.
– Life to H and the oppression – compared to H w/o letter.
– Perception by others
• Frightens, especially D.
– Bastard, not baptized,
– Could reveal
• Don’t think she is being properly educated
• Want to take her away.
Pearl and the A
• What is Pearl’s attitude toward the letter?
• What are some of the ways she shows her
interest?
– First object she showed awareness of is the letter.
86
– Throws flowers at the letter 87
– Rings the letter with thistles.
– Makes her own from eel-grass 162.
– Flips out when Mom takes it off.
• Reintroduces the question of its meaning:
– P. 162-165
– "What does the letter mean, mother?-- and why doest
thou wear it? -- and why does the minister keep his
hand over his heart?
– Pearl makes her own A out of seaweed, wants to
know the correlation between Hester's A and
Dimmesdale holding his chest. Hester lies, says it is a
fashion choice, but Pearl knows better.
– “Do no tease me; else I shall shut thee into a dark
closet!” [165]
• Why do we keep returning to this question?
• Can we offer an answer?
The Brook – Pearl
• The First Meeting:
– both mysterious, flowed through gloom
– asks what the brook says, WHAT IT MEANS:
• “What does this sad little brook say, mother?”
– "If thou hadst a sorrow of thine own, the brook might tell thee
of it,” answered her mother, "even as it is telling me of mine.”
» it gets aligned with the meteor. [170]
– reacts by dancing and singing.
• “So Pearl, who had enough of shadow in her own little
life, chose to break off all acquaintance with this
repining brook” [171]
The Child at the Brookside
• The second meeting.
– Set the scene: What just happened, what’s happening
now?
• The symbols
– D and H standing together see Pearl advancing:
• “as the little hierogplyphic, in which was revealed the secret
they so darkly sought to hide, -- all written in this symbol, -all plainly manifest,-- had there been a prophet or magician
skilled to read the character of flame! And Pearl was the
oneness of their being. Be the foregone evil what it might,
how could they doubt that their earthly lives and future
destinies were conjoined , when they beheld at once the
material union, and the spiritual idea, in whom they met,
and were to dwell immortally together?” [190]
• “‘I have a strange fancy,’ observed the
sensitive minister, ‘that this brook is the
boundary between two worlds.’” [192]
– Remember: "If thou hadst a sorrow of thine own,
the brook might tell thee of it,” answered her
mother, "even as it is telling me of mine.”
• Pearl doesn’t come when called, but stands at
the edge of the brook pointing at her mom’s
chest, now missing the A, so that her
reflection points as well.
• Pearl makes mom put it back on, then kisses
it.
• What do you make of this scene?
– On your own, write a paragraph unpacking this
scene. What is the significance?
• Tomorrow is our final day on The Scarlet Letter.
– Bring any final questions
– We will try to wrap up discussions
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The plot, the pillory
The stakes as outlined in the introduction
The letter A.
Your questions.
– Melville for Thurs. We are talking symbol there as
well. Think about how H and M compare in regards
symbolization.