Analysis of Quotation from Scarlet Letter

"After putting her finger in her mouth, with many ungracious refusals to answer good Mr. Wilson's question, the child finally announced that she had not been made at all, but had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses, that grew by the prison- door." (Hawthorne, 76)

Pearl feels a connection to the rose because she is like a rose. A rose grows from something dirty and ugly yet very natural. This is Hester and Dimmesdale. Their relationship is something very sinful and dirty in a sense.

However, it is natural because they love and know each other. Pearl came form a sinful relationship but like a rose, she grew into something exquisite.

A rose is pretty but it has its ugly side to it. Every rose has its thorn, and so does Pearl. From far away, she looks pretty and delicate and her thorns hide under leaves but once one touches her and takes away the leaves, it reveals the true ugly side to her.

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The thorns are her parent's sins and lies. It is not until those sins and lies are confessed can the leaves be taken away.

The thorns also show the wild nature to Pearl. When Dimmesdale confesses that he is the father to her and that he loves Hester, Pearls thorns come off, and she becomes human, or just a typical flower. "...whether the elf child had gone thus untimely to a maiden grave; or whether her wild rich nature had been softened and subdued, and made capable of a women's gentle happiness," (pg.

179). Roses are rare, something to be treasures and expensive. Pearl is uncommon because of her wild nature and intensity compared to the modest puritan society

Pearl feels a connection to the rose bush next to the prison because it is a hostile and out of place environment for a rose bush to grow in yet it grew into something beautiful. This is Pearls life. Because of her mother's position, her roots, she grew up in an unfriendly community where despite the harsh conditions she flourished.