Innocence of Children in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarl

Innocence of Children in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne does an admirable job of expressing the true temperament of his characters. Nowhere in his story is this more obvious than in his portrayal of the children. Children, in their innocence will say or do boththing, for unlike adults, they argon not constrained by societal expectations. They are oblivious to most manners and politics and therefore, are less reserved than the adults when it comes to questioning things or communicate their mind. Pearl, the leading child in the novel, is an excellent example of childish innocence combined with almost preternatural perception. Her willpower and imagination make her a pity and a curse to her mother, who has paid such a dear price for her child. After testing both smiles and frowns, and proving that neither mode of treatment possessed any calculable influence, Hester was ultimately compelled to stand aside, and permit that the child be swayed to her o wn impulses (Hawthorne 82). Pearl could not be controlled by anyone, nor did she easily establish relationships with others. The other children in town would often tease her and gang up on her, berating Pearl and her mother. Pearls anger, however, was released in fits of fury as she screamed and flung things at her opponents. These heathenish qualities and unintelligible screams do many of the townsfolk believe her to be a witch (Hawthorne 85-86). In one of the final chapters, Mistress Hibbins, a confirmed witch, proclaims Pearl to be the girlfriend of the Prince of the Air, another term for Satan (Hawthorne 222). Pearl is never, in the entire book afraid to speak her mind. Her mother, embarrassed by many of these outbursts, tries in vain to... ...t of humanity. due date and responsibility come with time, but so do the restraints that humans put on their actions, tongues, and hearts. Children, however, are very perceptive, and Hawthorne makes this very clear. Their eyes and ears are always open, thus far no one notices a child. Pearls wisdom and innocence are infuriating and lovable aspects of her personality, and in many ways, she voices what Hester only thinks. Adults in The Scarlet Letter, especially Mr. Dimmsdale, take note their thoughts, feelings, and emotions to themselves, sometimes with disastrous results. In truth, only children can be trusted to tell the complete and utter truth, for they do not understand the tact of discolor lies, the manners with which we must conduct ourselves, or the politics of society. Work CitedHawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. 1850. New York The Modern Library, 2000.