The Scarlet LetterChapter 7

The Governor’s Hall

Scene setting

• Hester Prynne and Pearl set out to deliver a pair of gloves to the Governor and ask for advice.

• Hester heard a rumor that the towns people were going to take Pearl away from her.

Why take pearl away?

As the book was set in the 1600s, there were many differences in what constituted as sin between then and now. Adultery, which is fairly common today, was considered a mortal sin back then. Because Hester had fallen from God’s grace, the people worried over Pearl’s fate. How would Pearl be punished by God and her mother, who was possessed by the Devil?

Pearl’s Dark Side

Hester’s expectation to see a demonic manifestation in her daughter, led her to interpret Pearl’s average behavior as evil.

• Pearl demanded to be picked up, then would fidget and squirm until she was put back down.

• A group of kids were considering throwing mud at Hester and Pearl. Pearl over heard this and became angry and shook her fist and ran at the group of kids.

• Pearl sees roses in the governor’s garden and starts to scream, because she wants one.

• When Pearl was dancing in front of the Governor’s house, she “Required that the whole breadth of sunshine would be stripped of it’s front and be given her to play with.” Hester told pearl “no, my little Pearl, thou must gather thine own sunshine.”

Hester made a dress for Pearl that mimicked the ‘scarlet letter’.

ADDITIONAL POINTS OF INTEREST

•Hester Prynne made a dress for her daughter that epitomized Pearl as the object of Hester’s affection and guilt and torture.•Hester describes Pearls behavior as ‘imp-like’. This may be the result of Hester’s paranoia over her daughter’s ties to the devil upon conception, or it may be an actual account of Pearls behavior.