1. The narrator calls the Puritan children “hearless.” Describe the way they treat Pearl. Why do you think the children act like this?
2. Dimmesdale is the only person who supports Hester’s plea to keep Pearl. Is this the position expected of a Puritan minister? Do you think Dimmesdale is an effective religious leader?
2. Dimmesdale is the only person who supports Hester’s plea to keep Pearl. Is this the position expected of a Puritan minister? Do you think Dimmesdale is an effective religious leader?
1. The Puritan children are looked upon as “heartless”. As I mention in a previous blog, if a society was ran by a particular faith, families would begin to raise their children in that particular faith. However, in my previous blog I mentioned the faith would be our Catholic faith. Yet, in this situation it is the Puritains. The children are being raised up in a faith in which everyone publicly embarrasses sinners. If they were in a faith, like our own, they would soon realize we should treat everyone the same, and allow God to deal with the sins a person has made.
ReplyDelete2. The fact that Dimmesdale allowed Pearl to be raised by her sinful mother was shocking. In the Puritan society, I feel as if they would normally take away the child and have them raised by someone in their particular religion. I find him to be a very effective religious leader. He sticks to what he preaches. This would be tough in this time period.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your opinion of Dimmesdale in being an effective religious leader, however, I do not think that he practices what he preaches. What he is preaching as a town father and a Puritan leader would be Puritan law. However, I feel as if he is making acceptions for Hester, and by doing this is coming off a bit hypocritical. For example, in previous chapters Dimmesdale was insisting that Hester should reveal the name of Pearl’s father, but then turned around and said that no woman should have to declare her sin in front of such a number of people. This is just my take on it, but I did enjoy reading what you had to say. It was easy to understand and your thoughts were well organized!
DeleteI appreciate what you wrote but my problem would be that you said that Dimmesdale practiced what he preached. I have not seen where Dimmesdale in fact practiced what he preached in the case of Hester and Pearl Prynne. I did, however, liked how you mentioned that at that time Puritans took it upon themselves to make an example out of people. I think you did a great job relaying your points within your writing.
DeleteI do agree that parents would obviously instruct their children in a specific faith, which is in this case the Puritan faith, but children reflect their parent's actions so in saying that the children are heartless it is also saying the parents are heartless. "If they were in a faith, like our own, they would soon realize we should treat everyone the same, and allow God to deal with the sins a person has made." Although you are taught to say this it isn't always true that or you're ignorant to the truth. The truth being that in all actuality the Catholic religion treats Atheists and Agnostics as if they're second class citizens. The Catholic Church takes the "moral high ground" preaching that they treat everyone the same meanwhile in church many times throughout the year I've been told that I and others lack morals because we don't look towards a God or a Bible for advice and rather use critical thought to analyze situations and create our own individualistic thoughts and responses. I believe that Reverend Dimmesdale would contradict the Puritan faith by allowing Hester to keep Pearl as well, but he wouldn't be a good religious figure in a Puritan society, but much rather a Catholic society because Catholics do tend to be more tolerant and lenient compared to most religions.
DeleteOverall, I agree with many of your statements. However, I do not agree with the statement you make that Dimmesdale sticks to what he preaches. He preaches the the Puritan laws and teachings he was taught, but he clearly believes differently and has a better sense of understanding and compassion. In all, I think you made some good points here.
Delete1. The term “heartless” means to be without compassion and to be inconsiderate of other people or things. Throughout chapters six through nine I have come to complete agreement with the author. The children that Pearl plays with show nothing but inhumanity to her. They do this by taunting her and treating her as an object of ridicule. However, these children could not have possibly conjured up this behavior on their own, of course. I believe that they learned it from their very own origin, their parents. It is said that children are a mirror image of their parents and often mimic the behaviors in which they portray. In my perspective, the children act in such a way because they are imitating the crude and ignorant comments and actions in which their parents are personifying.
ReplyDelete2. I have two words for Dimmesdale at this point in the book, God bless. I think that Hester has every right to raise her own child because Pearl signifies as both a saving grace and a result of consequence in which she, herself should deal with. Yes, there are rumors being circulated around Boston about Pearl being a “demon child,” but how could one possibly determine such a fate for a three year old. These extreme measures are nearly impossible to assert to such a young child. Therefore, I credit Dimmesdale for supporting Hester’s case. However, I did not expect that behavior to come from a Puritan minister because typically Puritain rulers and laws are uptight and high-strung; some could say that they are quite “square,” for lack of a better term. Furthermore, I do think of him as an effective religious leader. In my opinion, a religious leader must be understanding and lenient, and Dimmesdale exhibits these qualities.
I really enjoyed reading your piece, Maddie. Very well written and thoughtful. I agree with you especially on the “demon child” part. After all, Pearl is not even four years old, tantrums and acting up at that age is quite normal and should be expected. Perhaps some discipline should be enforced, but the child should not be taken away from its mother. Once again, the Puritans take the extreme route and not the sensible one.
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DeleteI really enjoyed reading what you have written here. I was also shocked on how a Puritan priest reacted to the situation. Like Julie said, I love how you pointed out how could someone at such a young age possibly be called a “demon child”? All children act like this today, and most likely did then too!
DeleteThe narrator describes the Puritan children as “heartless.” Pearl, Hester Prynne’s daughter, even at three years old is aware of this cruelty. She stands up for herself and her mother as the Puritan children slander and harass her and her mother. The children threaten the two of them with their own sort of punishment, throwing mud. This is, of course, a mimicry of the behavior of their parents who throw harsh words and insults at the pair. This is not an uncommon behavior of children. It is not unusual for a child to hear something their parents say and repeat it. The Puritans clearly talk about Hester Prynne and her scarlet letter. It is wrong that the children would be so hurtful even though they do not understand what adults talk about. Even though it is a sin to gossip the Puritans still talk about Pearl and Hester Prynne without knowing the full extent of the situation. People do, unfortunately, have a tendency to focus on the wrongs others have done without reflecting on the whole.
ReplyDeleteEven though I think Pearl should be raised by her mother, I was surprised that Dimmesdale would allow Hester, a sinful women, to keep raising her young daughter. It is sad that the Puritan community would take a young child away from their mother even though Hester could provide for Pearl. Even though many people say that Pearl is a “demon child” Dimmesdale saw that it was still important for the parent to raise her child even though she was conceived though sin. I do think that Dimmesdale is an effective preacher, but I was also pleasantly surprised that he would let Pearl be with her mom. Letting Hester raise her daughter is a dangerous action of Dimmesdale’s, and it would probably benefit him more if he had removed her from her mother’s care. But Dimmesdale did what he saw to be the more moral course of action, not the most popular. Overall, I think Reverend Dimmesdale is taking a better approach to this controversial situation of his time.
I strongly agree with your view of the Puritan children, and especially your opinion of Dimmesdale. It was also very well-written and I’m excited to read your upcoming work!
DeleteLike you said, Grace, I too admire Dimmesdale for using the approach that he did in this particular situation. It took courage to be able to not only look at the side of their Puritan views, but also to look at the situation from a side of pure human decency. It may have been a controversial side for him to take, but nonetheless, it was an admirable one in my personal opinion.
Delete1. The narrator describes the Puritan children as “heartless” because of the way they treat Pearl. In chapters six through nine, she is utterly bullied by the town’s children. As Hester and Pearl make their way to the governor’s mansion, they are met by a group of children who attack them with a collective launch of mud. The children taunt and tease Pearl simply because it is how they were raised to think. They have learned through their own parents that Pearl is different, even an outcast to them. The old saying, “The apple does not fall far from the tree.” is a more than perfect explanation of the behavior of the Puritan children.
ReplyDelete2. Dimmesdale’s decision to support Hester was surprising and unlikely for a Puritan minister of the time. His effectiveness as a religious leader is truly shown through his persuasiveness. He assured the other men that Pearl’s birth was just as much of blessing as it was a curse, and that Hester would be able to teach her with her mistake as an example. Although surprising as it was, his decision saved the unity of a mother and daughter.
I fully agree with your thoughts concerning the heartless children and your reference to “the apple does not fall far from the tree.” This was well written and I’m excited to read more from you this year!
DeleteI agree with your statement that Dimmesdale’s effectiveness as a leader in the religious community is proved through his persuasion.
Delete1. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" is a perfect idiom for describing the Puritan children. Young children learn everything they know from their parents so by observing them and the way they treat Hester they reflect the same attitude on the innocent Pearl who as far as she's concerned only sin is being born according to the children. By treating Pearl like an outcast, they reveal their motif on punishing humans as if it's a sin that they are born because of what the Puritan religion has taught them up until this point.
ReplyDelete2. Dimmesdale is an irregular Puritan spiritual leader because he opposes common beliefs taught within the Puritan faith. By opposing the government, he exemplifies his empathy towards the already punished Hester, calling for her to keep her child so that she is reminded of her sin and so that she and her child may learn from it. Dimmesdale for his time would have been a better than average religious leader by bringing in new ideas, but he wouldn't have the tolerance required for modern day issues such as Roe v. Wade with how frustrated he gets the moment he is asked to testify for Hester.
It did not really occur to me that he may have let her keep the child as a punishment or reminder, I had thought it more out of compassion for a mother and her child. This is a good thinking point about how intentions can be perceived differently depending on ones' opinions of the person and what one expects. Good perspective.
DeleteThe narrator describes the Puritan children as heartless. When Pearl and Hester enter the town, the children yell and throw mud at them. Pearl, even though she is only three, seems to understand that she and her mother are outcasts and reacts to this by yelling back at them to defend herself and Hester. The children learn these behaviors from their parents. They might not understand exactly why they are throwing mud at Pearl, but they know that since their parents treat Hester and Pearl as outcasts, they should as well. The children are merely mimicking their parents behaviors simply because they believe that is what they’re supposed to do. Even though the actions of the children are very cruel, the judgement cannot soely be placed on them. Their parents are the ones who showed the young children that these harsh acts of cruelty were okay even though Pearl was just a product of Hester’s sin. Pearl is taunted for no other reason other than that she simply exists. Through the horrible acts of the children, Pearl is continually forced to pay for her mother’s sin.
ReplyDeleteDimmesdale’s support of Hester’s plea to keep Pearl was surprising because this would have been unusual for a Puritan minister of that time. The more popular opinion would be that Pearl, the “demon child” should be taken from Hester and raised by another family. However, Dimmesdale strongly believes otherwise and allows Hester to keep Pearl. I was pleasantly suprised with his decision, and had expected him to side with the other ministers instead of letting a mother keep her child. Overall, I think that Dimmesdale is an effective preacher because the community respects his teachings and they value his advice and beliefs. It is clearly shown throughout several passages in the book that Dimmesdale has a powerful hold over the community, and he has the ablilty to persuade many people to his side of an argument.
I think you did a very good job with this. I like how much detail you used when explaining your answers. I especially liked the part where you said that the judgement can not be placed on the children alone. I enjoyed reading this.
DeleteHeartless is the perfect word to describe the Puritan children. These children treat Pearl with so much disrespect and act as if she has no purpose. Because of this, she begins to believe all they have to say. These children were raised to believe this amount of ridicule is perfectly okay, which of course is not. Since they have been taught this since they were born, they do not know right from wrong, and continue to learn the wrong ways of their parents.
ReplyDeleteI was very shocked when I read about Dimmesdale allowing Hester to keep Pearl because of Hester’s sinful pasts. With him being the religious leader of the community , I expected the complete opposite because of the types of sins and crimes she committed, like adultry. Although I did think he would choose the opposite, I’m glad that he went down the path he did. I believe Dimmesdale is a very effective preacher because he is respected by many, but he is also a very persuasive man.
1. The narrator describes the Puritan children as “heartless.” The towns children treat Pearl with complete disrespect. For example, they throw mud at her and Hester. The reason the children are bullying Pearl is because they grow up each day watching and listening to their parents. Their parents show them that bitter acts of cruelty are fair and that there is nothing wrong with it. Pearl is forced to take the suffering of Hester’s sin as well.
ReplyDelete2. I believe Hester does have the right to raise her child, however, I was surprised that Dimmesdale would allow this due to Hester being a sinner. I believe he understood the importance of a mother raising her child, even though the other Puritans wanted Pearl to be taken away. I believe Dimmesdale is an effective religious leader because he was understanding and generous and believed Hester could raise Pearl and teach her properly.
I agree with your first response and I am glad I read your second response because I hadn't thought about Dimmesdale recognizing the importance of a mother raising her child. I definitely agree with that.
DeleteThe Puritan children are referred to as heartless because they lack sympathy for another child that's in a seemingly worse position. This is evident in how the talk, whispering things between each other, and how they act, throwing projectiles at Hester and Pearl as they walk by. The children act as such because they don't know anything about Pearl except for what they've heard their parents say.
ReplyDeleteDimmesdale is not behaving like a Puritan minister would have at the time. It would be outrageous for a child of Pearls age to not know anything about the Puritan faith, and to act in the manner she was while she was being questioned. If we are referencing religious leaders in general, Dimmesdale is most definitely an effective leader, he carries the traits that make a good leader, honesty, compassion, and reliability. However, if we are talking in terms of Puritan leaders, he is not effective because he let Pearl stay with her so called "sinful" mother. This is against the Puritan belief.
The Puritan children in the town of Boston are one of the the most, cold, ignorant, and downright cruel group of people I’ve encountered in literature. The author himself states that “the group was one of the most intolerant that has ever lived.”The Puritan children are the very definition of heartless. They bully, isolate, and even assault Pearl and her mother on numerous occasions. They do not play with her or even attempt to become her friend. Pearl is so isolated that she begins to talk to herself and inanimate objects. (To be fair I did that too, and right now in my airplane a small girl is singing “Jingle Bells” to no one in particular behind me, so it is quite normal.) They taunt her and even on one occasion, throw mud and her and her mother. So why do they do this? The answer is simple- they were taught to do it. Children are incredibly open minded and are willing to talk and play with anyone. Like other sins of society, discrimination, in order for it to continue, is indoctrinated in to young children. An example of this is the terrible sin of racism. Racist ideas used to be planted in to the heads of young children, and that is why the effects and still be seen to this day. Children are not born with discriminatory ideas in their heads. Children recognize that they are different, but do not really care about their differences. They are more interested in play than anything else. That indoctrination is why the Puritan child reject and torment Pearl and her mother. The adults in their lives have taught them that they are less them themselves and they must never have positive associations with them. That is why they are so heartless and cruel.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, out of all the characters introduced so far, Dimmesdale is the most sensible and reasonable one. He understands that to tear the child away from her mother would be a terrible mistake, and would only lead to more sin and unhappiness for everyone involved. Pearl, along with the letter, is a constant reminder of her sin, but unlike the letter, her daughter reminds her that she must do better and raise Pearl to love God and to hate sin. Dimmesdale takes a position that is quite unusual of a Puritan minister in fighting for Hester’s right to keep Pearl. The Puritan ministers believed that Hester is not fit to be a good parent because of her sin of adultery. They want to take her child away to punish her further, and raise her as they see fit. If you want to find a modern equivalent of what the ministers are trying to do, you need have only been watching the news for the last few weeks. Dimmesdale took an unpopular position on a key issue in the community, something that religious people often have to do. I believe that Dimmesdale is an effective religious leader because he successfully convinced the ministers that Hester should keep her child. This shows he has the respect of important people in Boston and in the chapter “The Leech”, it is shown that he also has the respect and admiration of the common people. That is a sign of a effective religious leader.
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DeleteGreat job Julie. Your points are very well written and easy to read. I especially liked how you mention the little girl singing to herself as something many kids do today that we consider normal.
Delete1) I do not think the children are, themselves, heartless. Kids tend to be more open to others since they do not really know or care about peoples' differences. But the parents and adults in their lives do discriminate against some people. The adults are a big influence on childrens' behavior and how they learn to act. The children being mean to Hester and Pearl is not surprising, however unfortunate it may be.
ReplyDelete2) I would not have expected Dimmesdale to let her keep Pearl because of his Puritan beliefs, but also, as a religious figure, I could see him being empathetic so it is something that I could expect. It is a bit of a contradiction between Puritan strictness and religious compassion. He does seem to be a good leader because of his compassion and good nature. He could definitely lead a religious community but a political or lawful community would be less suitable for him.
Although I do find some aspects of your first essay debatesble, I do agree with the fact that the parents of the children greatly influence the children’s actions. Also, I completely agree with your second essay. Very well written!
DeleteThe Puritan children could very well be considered heartless. Although, these kids do not understand much better. Their actions are derived from their parents actions. They watch and learn to be cruel to the outcasts of society. When Pearl and her mother take a trip to town, the young children attempt to throw mud on the pair. Pearl becomes enraged and yells at the crowd of immature kids. These actions can be seen as similar to the parents of the Puritan children.
ReplyDeleteDimmesdale’s decision to let Hester keep Pearl is not very usual for a religious leader. This is because Hester is an outcast, a sinner, and to keep her child seems very dangerous to others in the town. Dimmesdale seems to be effective at what he does because Hester keeps Pearl in her custody. She is given back the right to take care and raise her own child. This all is because of Dimmesdale’s decision to let her.
I agree with your statement of the children learning from their parents to be cruel towards those who are different. We share similar thoughts. I enjoyed your ideas!
DeleteThe other children treat Pearl in a very interesting way. The book mentions that they sometimes gather around her. This may be because Hester brings Pearl with her every time that she goes out and into the public eye, thus making Pearl into a symbol and likeness to that of the scarlet letter for the public, including the children. The other children know that there is something different about her and their curiosity takes over them. The people see her as the product of sin, rather than just another child. To them, she was born an outcast, which people thought had no right among other infants. A minister even refers to her as the selfsame child, presuming that Pearl will do the exact same things that her mother has done. Pearl begins to throw rocks at the other children as a way for them to go away. This can be viewed similarly to how a baby cries when there are lots of people crowded around the small child. Instead, people began to fear that she was possessed by a demon, or came from a demonic spirit. Even her own mother began to think in this same way, or at least that there was something dark inside of her. However, in the book, it talks about the possibility of Hester’s fears deceiving her.
ReplyDeleteIn the debate on whether Hester should be able to raise the child on her own, I personally do not think that it was expected of Arthur Dimmesdale to take the position that he did to defend Hester and her daughter as a Puritan minister, as they try to govern based on their beliefs. However, with that being said, I think the stance that he took makes him an effective religious leader. This is because Arthur Dimmesdale is showing a sense of compassion. This allows him to level out the other leaders who are strict to the teachings of the Puritan way, so that all sides of the problem can be effectively examined to the fullest possible extent. He offers a new perspective that the other religious leaders may not have thought about or truly considered.
I am interested in your opinions of this book. In particular, I like how you described Arthur Dimmesdale as compassionate. I believe this is a true characteristic of him that sums up his actions.
Delete1. The children could be seen as "heartless" because they are being raised in a way that they are told to treat sinners with disrespect, forcing them to reflect on their wrongdoings. Not only to reflect on them, but to make them suffer for the sins they've committed. The children mock and harass Pearl because this is the way they were taught to act. If the children were raised by humble, selfless parents, the children are more than likely going to be humble and selfless themselves. But since these kids were brought up in a harsh period of time where it was normal to act in the way they were, they were "heartless."
ReplyDelete2. In the Puritan society, the government and higher ranked citizens were usually seen has straightforward, strict, humor-less and rather rude. So as a minister, it seems as though Dimmsdale was putting himself in a vulnerable position in supporting Hester's raising of her own child.
It never came across my mind that Dimmesdale was placing himself in a risky situation when he defended Hester’s opinion. I like that addition to your blog. I also agree that the way children are raised greatly affects how they are going to act when they find themselves in new situations.
DeleteThis is very will written and covers many good point. I like how you mentioned that the actions of parents influence the actions of their child.
Delete1. The Puritan children of this utopian society are described as “heartless.” According to Webster’s dictionary, heartless means to lack feeling or cruel. I believe this definition fits these children extremely well. The children fling mud at Hester Prynne and her daughter, Peral, as they walk through the town. The children are taught this is an acceptable behavior due to their parents teachings. Their parents are taught to punish the sinners for their actions due to the pressures of the society. This has made me think a little more about living in a complete church-based society. The idea that everyone is held to such a high standard and if someone makes a simple mistake they will be treated differently for the rest of their life. Peral has experience some of the judgement from the people of the society due to her mothers actions. This family will always be look on as the family of sinners, even if they are the most perfect people of the society.
ReplyDelete2.I believe that Dimmesdale decision to let Hester keep her child show how strong of a leader he is. He easily could have kept Peral and Hester could have done nothing about it, due to laws of the Puritan society. Dimmesdale understands the importance of family and believes that it would be best for the child to live with Hester. He also states that keeping the child would add to her punishment. Hester will have to devote time to taking care of Peral and taking on all the normal responsibilities of a parent. Dimmesdale is an incredible leader and his decision to go against the laws of the society shows that he is a very strong leader.
Although children are often pictured as angels sent by God, they can sometimes make wrong decisions that cause them to be seen more like little devils. The children who found themselves in the presence of Pearl and Hester were excessively crude and insulting, causing them to resemble the devil through their sinfulness. As Pearl walked the roads with her mother, the children recognized Hester’s scarlet letter as her mark of shame. Because of this, the youths gathered mud to hurl at Pearl and her mother. It is a shame that children do so much wrong to try to lift their own feelings and help them forget their own mistakes. The children were probably jealous of Pearl’s ornate clothing that caused her to appear like royalty and a loving mother whose whole world was her daughter. Those kids, although probably jealous, should have never sunk to the level of disrespect that they did. They should have realized that happiness is a product of love, not hate
ReplyDeleteReverend Dimmesdale was a spiritual leader in a strict Puritan community. This caused me to be befuddled when he fought in favor of Hester’s case in keeping her child. He provided a persuasive opinion that proved to be successful. Dimmesdale also provided the point that Pearl was a creation of the Heavenly Father. Hester added the statement that Pearl was her world and her downfall. She was her happiness and her torture. Pearl was her reason for continuing life on earth. With these statements made by Hester, Reverend Dimmesdale had enough to make a case for Hester keeping her child. Through his reasoning, Dimmesdale could be seen as an effective religious leader. He seems like a strong advocate for what he believes in. This characteristic is important for religious leaders who need to have the skills to persuade others to think in a similar pattern as they do.
The children act “heartless” towards Pearl and treat her differently, most likely under the influence of their parents. Most of the children probably do not fully understand the situation involving Pearl and Hester, but their wandering eyes take note of what their parents say and do. They see Pearl as a sin due to the fact that she was a result of one. They take note of the different lifestyle that Pearl and Hester are living and that it is quite different that their own, so they treat them as outcasts. An example of the children’s ill-mannered acts includes the taunting and mud throwing as Pearl and her mother make their way through town towards the Governor’s Hall. Pearl took charge and told them off, almost as if she wanted to protect her mother more than her own self.
ReplyDeleteThe decision of the Puritan minister, Dimmesdale, was completely unexpected. In that time, a person of high ranking usually had no sort of sympathy for those who chose to commit sin. In this case, Dimmesdale allowed Hester to raise Pearl on her own instead of taking Pearl away to be raised elsewhere. Another point to add is that Hester was, in fact, a woman so it is even more outstanding that Dimmesdale allowed for Pearl and Hester to remain together. Higher ranked men of the time did not typically have as high of a respect for women and children as they did for men. In conclusion, I do think that Dimmesdale is an effective religious leader because he is considerate of others, not just himself. He was able to keep the bond between a mother and a daughter and that is a lot just in itself.
I really like your perspective on Dimmsdales appreciation for women and children, which many people did not have then. That is a very good point.
DeleteChildren are never born “heartless”. They are usually raised in such a way that causes them to adapt and learn certain behaviors. The way the children treat Pearl is just a mirror image of the way many adult Puritans treat others. They treat Peral terrible just because she is different. The kids are not so much “heartless” as they are just not excepting of others who may be different than themselves. The kids started to follow in the societies footsteps. By seeing the scarlet letter on her mother they immediately put them into a lower class and see them as objects for them to “pick on” whenever they feel like it. They have learned from their elders that these types of people should be shamed and punished.
ReplyDeleteDimmesdale is a very effective leader because most people in the Puritan society would have Peral be raised by someone other than her own mother based solely on her sin. He showed good leadership by looking at the situation from all angles. He did not just make a quick decision based only on one factor. He also was a good leader because he was true to his word. Times were tough but he stuck to what he said. This is a task that is still difficult for some leaders to accomplish today. The circumstances were definitely not in her favor due to her being a woman marked with sin. Many other rulers would have just said no without much thought. By him saying yes, it was a surprise but it also was a way of showing he was merciful.
I think that the children treat Pearl so heartlessly because of what they hear from their parents. The children are merely doing what their parents have done to Hester. It is their parents that stood in the town judging Hester for her mistake and gossiping about her. Their children have taken from their parents and have adapted a “monkey see, monkey do” way of acting. Rather than using Hester’s faults as a lesson to teach their children, they have taught their children a poor lesson of thinking they are better than others.
ReplyDeleteI did not expect Dimmesdale to defend Hester because he seemed to give her a hard time previously in the book. However, his arguments seemed to align with his faith. He stated that Pearl was a child of God, and he pointed out the sacredness between a mother and her daughter. As a Puritan leader, I did not expect Dimmesdale to have this point of view. Most Puritan leaders at the time were very strict, and did not give in to many things. I believe his standpoint was effective, because Hester has proven that she truly loves her child and is capable of caring for her. In addition, all people deserve forgiveness. An effective leader shows mercy and forgives people for their sins. By defending Hester, Dimmesdale showed mercy toward her.
I do not think that the Puritan children can be described as heartless. The children simply act in a way that they believe is correct based on how the society acts as a whole. Pearl was born into prejudice. She did not perform any actions that made her deserve the cruel behavior she received. These harsh children did not understand what they were doing, in my opinion. The society was brainwashed to act unjustly to those who they do not like the things they have done. In conclusion it is far more than just the children who are “heartless.”
ReplyDeleteThis behavior is not expected from a Puritan leader. Dimmesdale’s desire to keep Pearl with her mother, in my opinion, is signs of a very effective religious leader. Regardless of how she had the child, Dimmsdale respects the fact that she is her mother and finds a need to provide for and raise her daughter. Although, based on the time period he may be looked at as not effective. But as a man of God, keeping a family together really shows true signs of compassion and respect.
1. The children in the book are referred to as heartless because of the way they treat Pearl. They throw mud and rocks at Pearl, and continue to tease and demean her despite being under the age of 4. The reason the children torture Pearl and her mother is because it is an expectation of society to shun sinners, and Pearl was said to be the offspring of sin. This idea of isolating Pearl and her mother was put into the children’s heads by their parents and society as a whole at the time.
ReplyDelete2. Dimmesdale being a higher ranking Puritan leader was not expected to side with Hester during her plea for her child. The Puritan laws were strict and the leaders enforcing them were to be strict as well. So, siding with an adulterer is not expected of religious authority. However, this compassion and mercy does make Dimmesdale a rather effective leader by setting an example.
I agree completely with the fact that the idea of isolating Pearl was instituted into the children’s minds by the parents and the society. This is a very strong and accurate point.
Delete1. The children are heartless as they don't include Pearl, and make her an exile of the entire town. They are almost evil for throwing mud at here and Hester also. But the children are taught not to include and be mean, as their parents think that Hester and Pearl are the embodiment of evil and sin. The Puritans also tell the parents this from their teaching. In this, it comes down the line, from the preachers, to the parents, to the children, who in turn hate on and hurt Pearl.
ReplyDelete2. Dimmesdale is being a good human, yet not a good preacher. It isn't expected on him to side with her, since she shouldn't have done it in the first place. Yet, he feels bad for her, showing his human side(empathy). I feel like the others in the room would've been quite surprised in this fact that Dimmesdale supported her side. And because of this fact, I think, as a religious leaders, he is not very effective, but as a human, it shows that he has a good side to gim and is more than just a preacher.
1. The children are described as “heartless” because they exclude Pearl and bully her even though she is just a toddler. I think they act like this because they watch their parents and see their reactions to Hester and Pearl. A child will do whatever their parents are doing because they believe it to be right. However, it is wrong of the parents to be teaching their children to harass and give Pearl the cold shoulder.
ReplyDelete2. Dimmesdale is a life saver, literally! I believe he made a moral and just decision. Even though the other ministers wanted to split Pearl and Hester, he felt that Pearl needed to be with her mother so Hester could teach Pearl based off her own life decisions. This is how every minister should act, regardless of their faith. Nobody should separate a mother from its child if the mother is attempting to turn her life around for the well-being of the child.
The Puritan children are described as “heartless” because of the way that they neglect Pearl. Although the children may treat Pearl poorly, I do not think that it is fair to call the children “heartless.” The children were only acting this way because this is the only way that society would expect them to act at the time. Through the ages, everyone has always wanted to be accepted by society, sometimes in order to do this people act unmorally. Also, the children wouldn’t have known that they were doing wrong because they were most likely raised to act this way.
ReplyDeleteDimmesdale was not expected to respect Hester or her plea. A Puritan minister of this time period would be expected to rule on the behave of the societies popular opinions instead of morals and reason. Because Dimmesdale decided to rule on behave of reason and morality, and have mercy on Hester, I believe that Dimmesdale is an effective religious leader.
I don’t think “heartless” is the right word to define these Puritan children. Children often act of there parents, and the parents see Pearl as an outcast. The kids then act on it by bullying Pearl. If anything, I would describe the parents as “heartless.” Just because Pearl is supposedly product of a sin, doesn’t mean she herself is bad. They are just reacting off the Puritan religion and what is expected of them.
ReplyDeleteI was a little shocked that Dimmesdale supportered for Hester to raise her child. Considering that Hester was a sinner, why would you want a sinner to raise a child? You would think he would want someone in the Puritan religion to raise the child. I believe every mother should raise there child, and god willing every child be with there parent. While I like the idea of him supporting the idea, I believe it makes him a weak preacher. He feels bad for Hester and shows her sympathy which makes him a fool. It makes him a good person, but not so much a preacher.
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ReplyDelete1.) After reading this section it is obvious that the narrator dislikes Puritans. The narrator calls the children “heartless” because of how they were treating Hester and Pearl. They were not heard in Puritan society when it came to their opinions. They were raised so that they were not allowed to have a voice. They treat Pearl as though she is not even a human. They most likely did this because they were taking after their parents.
ReplyDelete2.) The position Dimmesdale is in is not expected of a Puritan minister. Some people could see problems with it but I do see him as an effective religious leader. By listening to Hester and supporting her plea it shows that he is there for his people and is letting them have a voice.
The term “heartless” would be a very false accusation towards these children in my opinion. All the children were doing were sticking up for that they were raised to believe in. Also, it is very important to be reminded that they are, in fact, children! Even in today’s world, kids act upon their own instinct because they have no better knowledge of what’s right and what’s wrong. However, these kids aren’t stupid. The act of hurling mud at these sinners as a sign of what the sinners had done isn’t a smart option and they should’ve known better. However, it is a natural occurrence for children to make mistakes, and in no way should they have been deemed “heartless” by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt honestly came across as a surprise to me when Dimmesdale decided to allow Hester to keep Pearl. This being said because of the fact that it is very unlikely and not expected of a true Puritan minister to do such an act. However, I believe he is an effective religious minister based on the fact that he is very open-minded and truly cares about the people of this society.