Had there been a Papist among the crowd of Puritans, he might have seen in this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien, and with the infant at her bosom, an object to remind him of the image of Divine Maternity, which so many illustrious painters have vied with on another to represent; something which should remind him, indeed, but only by contrast, of that sacred image of sinless motherhood, whose infant was to redeem the world. Here, there was the taint of deepest sin in the most sacred quality of human life, working such effect, that the world was only the darker for this woman's beauty, and the more lost for the infant that she had borne. .
Had a Catholic been there looking upon Hester and baby Pearl he would have interpreted the scene very differently than the Puritans had. A Papist would believe that the child that Hester was holding so closely to her bosom, was a gift sent from God. How is it possible a woman so beautiful and a child so small and innocent cause such an uprising in society? Every child is a gift from God and should not be disciplined for something that his or her mother has done. Hester and Pearl should not be condemned or tormented by the community for Hester's sins, this is an inner conflict and must be solved by the individual, not the society. God is the only one who has the authority to do so. It is said that God loves all His children equally; He is the almighty ruler of mankind and He decides what is right and what is wrong, as well as how to punish someone for stepping over the lines. Hester, as well as everyone else, has been placed on this earth for a reason, and it is possible that He sent Hester as an example of what will occur to those who do not abide by His commandments; not only that you will be punished, but also that you can easily redeem yourself, like Hester did.
How do you think God reacted to this cruel punishment? Did he approve of the "A" that at one point stood for "adulterer?" The scarlet letter was meant to be a symbol of shame, but instead it became a powerful symbol of identity for both Hester and Pearl.
