Chapter 16 portrays the illustrative role that Pearl plays throughout the novel. It also shows the significance of the scarlet letter as a symbol and the connection between sin humanness. Pearl has a way of seeing things that others do not. She identifies the scarlet letter on her mom with the metaphorical lack of sunshine her life. “Mother” said little Pearl, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. . . . It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!” Can I infer that Pearl realizes that sin is an inevitable part of every adult human beings life? She is still a child and does not understand the ramifications of sin yet, but perhaps she realizes that everyone encounters sin at some point in their adult life?
I also found it noteworthy when Pearl states that she had nothing to wear on her bosom yet. It’s interesting to see that Pearl has already learned that we all will encounter sin at one point. Do you think that because Hester is her mother she saw this at a much earlier age than most children?