Scarlet Letter: Pearl as The Epitome of Sin and Savior

Throughout the beginning chapters of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl Hester Prynne young child holds the most significant symbolism about the culture and context of history this story exists in. Pearl is birthed out of wedlock (adulterated child), in a Puritan society this puts Pearl and Hester in the lowest social class possible, where the poorest people can still hate them. Hester has the scarlet "A" on her clothing so people know that she is an adulterer, Pearl is associated with the "A" because she is the embodiment of sin to the characters outside of her mother. While culturally she is treated as the embodiment of sin,  Pearl simultaneously became a savior as well.

From the first 8 chapters of the novel we understand that Hester does love Pearl, even if she can't show it all the time. From the opening chapter where Hester has Pearl clutched to her bosom while the entire town shames her for her adultery. This relationship between daughter and mother turns out to save Hester if she didn't have the child she would not be the same person as seen in the discourse between Hester and Mistress Hibbins where she invites Hester to "merry company in the forest; and I wellnigh promised the Black Man that comely Hester Prynne should make one." (Hawthorne 105) Essentially Hibbins invites her to come to a witchcraft meeting, which is illegal by Puritan standings, nothing against the church especially dark magic which is punishable by death. However because Hester "must tarry at home, and keep watch over my little Pearl." (105) she chooses not to accompany Mistress Hibbins. While the entire town looks down upon and makes fun of Hester and Pearl. They need each other, without Pearl, Hester would definitely be tip toeing the laws of Puritan society instead of trying to move past her previous transgressions. In essence Pearl is the savior of Hester's life while being the ultimate representation of sin in Puritan society. Does this mean that Hawthorne is pointing out the good and evil can simultaneously live within the same person or culture? Or could Hawthorne be making this binary to point out something more specific as in the relationship with religion in this society and how people are either in or out, and what that means for them growing as people are not.