... daughter. Never did it occur to me that Hester wanted to keep Pearl from her father though it may appear that way at times during the novel. What she did want was for Pearl to be able to live a life of joy. Had Hester told her lover's identity from the start of the ordeal, Pearl's life would have been much more complicated. Not only would she witness ... the ridicule and social downscale of her mother but her father's persecution would have ... daughter. Never did it occur to me that Hester wanted to keep Pearl from her father though it may appear that way at times during the novel. Wh...

• Word Count: 3565
• Approx Pages: 14
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... fulfill this role. With such discrepancies it is easier for me to argue that the Reverend is not the tragic hero that some believe. Arthur Dimmesdale, a minister, lives his life under the watchful yet admiring eye of the townspeople of Boston and, as a result, becomes a slave to the public opinion. His sin against Hester Prynne and Pearl is that he will not acknowledge them as his lover ... and daughter in the daylight. In the Puritan religion any one sin could be punished severely, whether it is a minor infraction or an offense condemnable by death. He keeps his dreadful secret from al...

• Word Count: 2932
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School