Once Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale start meeting with each other in the woods more often, Hester tries to get Pearl to know her father. At this point Hester has taken off her scarlet letter, but Pearl acts as if she wants nothing to do with her without the letter on her chest. "With these words, she advanced to the margin of the brook, took up the scarlet letter, and fastened it again into her bosom."
It is somewhat sad that even though Hester feels that she can be detached from the scarlet letter now, Pearl keeps it intact. I remember when my mother went to get her hair cut one time when I was pretty young. Once she came home with shorter hair and a different look, I really didn't like it. It's as if when you're young no one and nothing is allowed to change except yourfelf.
This doesn't seem fair to Hester at all, yet I don't think she should feel as humiliated by it. Although I can understand that Hester may not think of Pearl's behavior the same way. Because of what the letter symbolizes, Pearl's actions could hurt Hester more than anything.
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I enjoyed reading your personal experience and how you tied it into the story. It really helped to paint a clear picutre of exactly what was taking place in the book. Pearl was just a young child who must have thought the scarlet letter was a part of her mother's being, and when she took it off, it was like her mother had lost a piece of herself.
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