The red of the letter, standing for adultery, reminds the reader of the rosebush and the letter that later appears in the sky. Its color, for now at least, is associated with her sin and will be strongly connected to Pearl throughout the novel.
What are the most important quotes in The Scarlet Letter?
“My child must seek a heavenly father; she shall never know an earthly one.” -Chapter three, ‘The Scarlet Letter’. 4. “It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in a sphere by herself.”
What does the scaffold symbolize in Chapter 2?
The scaffold represents truth and is an important symbol of the difference between Hester and Dimmesdale’s situations. It shows the contrast between public shame and inner struggle. The scaffold supports Hawthorne’s point that true repentence cannot occur until sin becomes public.
Why did Hester squeeze Pearl at the end of chapter 2?
Hester thinks about her youth spent in poverty in England. She envisions her parents’ faces and sees also the face of a “misshapen scholar,” her husband. Hester touches the scarlet letter and squeezes her baby, Pearl, so tightly that Pearl cries. Hester then realizes that the letter and her baby are her only reality.
What biblical allusion is made in Chapter 2 Explain why do you think Hawthorne would do this?
Chapter II, The Market-Place This quote contains two allusions: A Papist is an allusion to a Roman Catholic, someone who believes in the authority of the Pope; and the Divine Maternity is an allusion to the Virgin Mary and her son, Jesus, a central image in the Christian faith.
On what note does Chapter 2 begin?
On what note does chapter 2 begin? People are all standing around the prison waiting for someone to emerge. For what sin is Hester Prynne condemned? What is the Old Testament punishment for adultery?
Why is Pearl called a demon child?
Pearl is the embodiment of sin and has been an outcast to society since the very first day she was born. This punishment torments Hester because whenever she looks at Pearl, it reminds her of what she had done. Pearl is referred to as the devil when Hester asks Pearl if she is her child.
Why does Hester name her daughter Pearl?
A beautiful flower growing out of sinful soil, Pearl is so named because she was “purchased with all [Hester] had—her mother’s only treasure!” Because “in giving her existence a great law had been broken,” Pearl’s very being seems to be inherently at odds with the strict rules of Puritan society.
How did Hester commit adultery?
All things considered, Hester was forced to wear a scarlet letter on her chest meaning she committed adultery so that people can judge her for what she did.
Which event described in Chapter 2 The Scarlet Letter occurs after Hester leaves the jail?
Which event described in chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter occurs after Hester leaves the jail? Hester voices her discomfort on the long walk to the scaffold. A military procession organizes the crowd and proceeds to the scaffold.
Is Pearl’s name a biblical allusion?
A specific biblical allusion is in the name ‘Pearl’ that Hester chooses for her daughter: ‘she named the infant ‘Pearl’, as of being of great price,–purchased with all she had,–her mother’s only treasure!’
