An Essay on the Importance of the character -“Pearl” What is the scarlet letter? A scarlet letter is a mark of shame sewn onto the breast of an adulteress. Throughout the novel, Pearl remains the reminder of the sin that Hester committed, this is her symbolic importance. Many of the characters in this novel suffer the consequences of their sins, however none seem to suffer as much as Pearl. Despite the fact that she …showed first 75 words of 2507 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2507 total…becomes quite obvious to the reader that Hawthorne is completely set against the ways in which the Puritans lived, especially their views on punishment. The scarlet letter that Hester has to wear and that Pearl symbolises, serves not to highlight Hesters’ sin, but the cruel and unfair laws of Puritan life. Hawthorne may have written a historical novel but he makes the reader question the age old and ever present problem of crime and punishment.