The Scarlet Letter Chapters 5 - 8
Hester is released from prison after a few months. She refuses to leave Salem, although the people will treat her like an outcast here. She is now living in a small cottage on the outskirts of town. Despite the shame and ostracism, she faces from the townspeople, Hester is determined to make a life for herself and her daughter. She begins to do needlework, becomes quite skilled at it, and starts earning her livelihood by selling embroideries except for marriages.
Hester stays away from everyone, including women, beggars, fathers, children, and strangers. Hester proves to be good at her work, but she is highly conscious of what other people think about her. She seeks companionship and sympathy. The letter 'A' she wears gives her an insight into the hidden sins of others. She works for charity by basic sewing garments for them in her leisure time which insults her aesthetic sense.
Hester finds consolation in her daughter Pearl. The name 'Pearl' reflects how precious the girl is to her. Pearl is described as a wild and unruly child fascinated by the scarlet letter and its story. A great law has been broken by her mother to give her existence. Pearl is described as a symbol of Hester’s sin and her constant reminder of it. Hester loves her dearly but is worried at the same time, as she has inherited the same temperament of being moody, passionate, and mischievous.
Hester's exclusion from society extends to Pearl as well. Pearl is self-aware of her differences from others. Children pass comments and mock her. Pearl accompanies her mother everywhere and has witnessed how cruelly people treat her. Considering herself alone, Pearl creates imaginary characters in her mind to accompany her. When Hester attempts to teach her about God, she says she has no heavenly father. Instead, she demands Hester, the whereabouts of her father. People believe that a demon has fathered her.
Pearl intentionally plays with the letter 'A' that Hester wears. One day, Pearl was pelting the initial with wildflowers when her agitated mother shouted at her, asking who she was. Pearl cross-questions her mother the same inquiring about her origins. Surprised at the audacity of a three-year-old child, Hester believes that she might not be the demon child that people think.
Hester visits Governor Bellingham's mansion to deliver a pair of gloves and to clarify the rumor that she has heard about giving Pearl to another family so that her character and moral development may not get tainted. The government thinks it fit that the Pearl should be taken away from Hester for Hester's sake as people consider her a demon child.
Hester brings Pearl dressing her up in a red and golden outfit resembling the letter. They reach the entry hall of the Governor's mansion, which resembles the English aristocratic style decorated with family portraits and a reflecting polished armor. The Governor won these decorative items in battles. Pearl points out at her mother's reflection in the armor. Hester is horrified to look at it as the letter dominates the reflection. A group of men enters the garden when Hester and Pearl look through the window at the park. Governor Bellingham accompanies John Wilson, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth in the park. They spot Pearl at the window wearing a strange dress with an odd demeanor. Realizing that she is Hester's daughter, they come inside. Bellingham asks Hester to justify why she must be allowed to raise Pearl. Hester claims that her life experiences of sin are enough to make her a good teacher for her daughter. She will teach her a lesson on shame. They try to test the knowledge of the child on religious subjects. When asked about her whereabouts, Pearl claims that she has been plucked off a rose bush. Bellingham seems annoyed by the child's behavior and intends to remove Pearl from her mother's custody.
Hester begs Dimmesdale to speak on her behalf. He exclaims that the daughter being a blessing and curse, is sent by God, and it would be sheer injustice to separate a mother from her child. Pearl has taken well to Dimmesdale and caresses his hand. Chillingworth presses the judges to reopen the investigation on Pearl's father. Everyone denies it and leaves it to the will of God. Mistress Hibbins encounter Hester and Pearl as they go, asking Hester if she'll attend a meeting of witches in the forest. She declines to add that she would have sworn herself to the demon man if Bellingham had taken Pearl away.
Analysis
Hester is ostracised from the settlement, and she chooses to live away from the rest of the people along with her beautiful daughter, Pearl. The author focuses on Hester’s emotional turmoil as she is forced to withstand the accusing eyes of the townspeople, and it is evident that he empathizes with her. The author indicates that the true sinners in the story are characters like Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and those of the townspeople that condemn Hester, even though she is the one who is forced to wear a physical symbol of her sin. The condemnation of the townspeople extends beyond Hester to her daughter, Pearl. Interestingly, Pearl doesn’t seem to experience any moroseness or sadness despite the ostracisation. She also seems to have a strange fascination with Hester’s symbol, perhaps because Pearl is the real marker of Hester’s adultery and not the letter that she is forced to wear. Pearl’s unique temper makes several people question her parentage, even Hester, who once believes that a child such as Pearl could not be hers. Yet, Pearl is perfectly docile and beautiful in the lap of nature, which is perhaps the only place where she doesn’t experience the confines of the strict conduct that is enforced by the Puritan society. The author often likens Pearl to a bird, a free creature of wild and open skies.
