Hester meets up Dimmesdale in the forest. It’s the first time their meeting and Hester’s hurt to see Dimmesdale in this ailing condition. Pearl’s dialogue referring the sunshine is a bit harsh. “Mother,” said little Pearl, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. Now, see! There it is, playing, a good way off. Stand you here, and let me run and catch it. I am but a child. It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!”
She has realized that the scarlet letter upon her mother’s chest is the reason that sun doesn’t shine upon her. Hawthorne weaves a common hysteria of witchcraft and the Devil in this chapter. As pearl says “O, a story about the Black Man, which shocks Hester as to how Pearl knows about it. The black man symbolizes the Devil and I feel in this case its Chillingworth because of his actions. It’s impressive how Pearl connects Hester’s scarlet letter, Dimmesdale’s hand on his chest, the refusal of the sun to shine upon Hester and lastly the black man who left the mark upon her.
She has realized that the scarlet letter upon her mother’s chest is the reason that sun doesn’t shine upon her. Hawthorne weaves a common hysteria of witchcraft and the Devil in this chapter. As pearl says “O, a story about the Black Man, which shocks Hester as to how Pearl knows about it. The black man symbolizes the Devil and I feel in this case its Chillingworth because of his actions. It’s impressive how Pearl connects Hester’s scarlet letter, Dimmesdale’s hand on his chest, the refusal of the sun to shine upon Hester and lastly the black man who left the mark upon her.
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