The Infant Pearl

The Scarlet Letter By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Page 71

Introducing Hester's Infant Hawthorne describes how important she has become to Hester.
"But she named the infant 'Pearl' as being of great price, -purchased with all she had, -her mother's only treasure!"

In having Pearl represented that Hester's life was changed forever. The action leading to Pearl's birth cost Hester everything. She lost any chance of having her husband when he arrived in town, having any husband for that matter and she lost touch with her community as she was sentenced to public isolation. Because Hester would not give up the name of the infants father all Pearl has in the world is Hester and all Hester has is Pearl. This is universal as it describes the inseparable bond between a mother and her child.