Why is Pearl from Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter so weird?

Answer 1

Throughout the book the Scarlet Letter is the recurring symbol for Hester's sin, but as it is discussed on various occasions in the novel, pearl has far more weight in showing Hester's sin to the world. The author uses this in his advantage by making pearl equate in value to a symbol to Hester. Pearl is barely passable as human through most of the story, but as the story reaches a climax the purpose of symbolism is lost. This is when the usual nature people expect from a young girl begins to replace Pearls usually sharp attitude and piercingly innocent comments.