A

I am in disagreement with Courtney Wick with her statement that Pearl acted as Dimmesdale's shame and that every time he looked at her was a reminder of his regret. I do not agree with this because, one, Dimmesdale was full of guilt, not shame, and two, it specifically says in the text that Pearl was bonded towards Dimmesdale and the two got along very well. If anything, Hester would be the source of Dimmesdale's guilt and anytime he saw her, he would feel sinful for it was with her that the sin was committed. Yes, Pearl is a direct result of their promiscuousness, but she is not the source of his pain.

Also, the event where Hester and Pearl were in the Forest and Pearl asked about the scarlet A and about the 'black man' led to another source of symbolism. As the two are walking through the Forest and talking, Pearl unknowingly asks if Dimmesdale was the 'black man.' This can symbolize Dimmesdale as a sort of evil and that he was the main cause of all this suffering and abandonment for he, quite simply, couldn't keep it in his pants.

Another source of symbolism derives from the meteor in the night sky forming an 'A.' I was perceived by the village people that it stood for angel, in regards to Governor Billinghams death. This perception can relate back to the first question with the quote “It is to the credit of human nature, that, except where its selfishness is brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates.” The village people's assumption that the 'A' in the sky meant angel, proved their selfishness. They were so hung up in their own lives and well-being for themselves that they automatically saw the 'A' as a benefit to themselves, for instance, the angle would be looking over them. The fact that the people never even put the 'A' in the sky to the scarlet letter on Hester's chest proves that they were very self absorbed and selfish.