Immaculately Crimson colored, uniquely beautiful, and delicately soft pedals. This unique beauty may be loved deeply by some. The Rose persuading the hand to pick its innocent stem from the bush, but the thorns on the rose would cause deep agony to the hand. In The Scarlet Letter, Pearl is connected to a rose which is beautiful on the outside but possess a thorny interior.

Pearl is associated with the Rose in the beginning of the story outside of the prison and also later on when Hester goes to the Governors palace with Pearl. Outside of the gloomy prison, there is a rosebush that has been alive for hundreds of years. And it is described to “symbolize some sweet moral blossom that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of human frailty and sorrow.” (pg 9) Before Hester goes into the prison, like the other prisoners she sees the rose. The rose serves as hope for Hester. And the hope would be the birth of her baby child Pearl. The rose and Pearl both possess a negative side which is that the pregnancy of baby Pearl that brought Hester into lifetime punishment and guilt, like the thorny interior of a rose. “Pearl seeing rosebushes, began to cry for a red rose, and would not be pacified.” (pg 103) Hawthorne reinforces the connection between Pearl and the rose by Pearl’s irrational desire for the rose. Pearl is drawn to the scarlet letter A since she was very young. She reaches for the roses the same way she reaches for the Scarlet A. The scarlet A, the rose and Pearl connects because they all foreshadow Hester punishment. But at the same time, all three things are beautiful and is symbolized as love to Hester. The scarlet A is the consequence of Hester and Dimsdales love, Pearl is Hesters beloved child and a rose symbolizes love.

Pearl is like a rose, she is beautiful but vicious. Pearl’s birth is foreshadowed by the rose outside of the prison. She symbolizes as hope and punishment. Pearl also throws stones at other children showing her vicious side, but the reason of her throwing stones is to protect her mother, therefore Pearl is also beautiful. Overall, Pearl’s personality is like a rose. In all stages of Pearl’s life she has a double personality, and even before she is born her association with her mother is like the characteristics of a rose.

The rose relates to the scarlet letter because like a rose all good things come with a thorny side. The remarkable birth of Pearl also caused many troubles for Hester. Because Hester was impregnated with Pearl, the townspeople were able to find out that she committed adultery therefore being able to punish Hester. Hester’s punishment was created so she would be forced to announce the other person in the adultery but because Hester and Dimmsdale truly loved each other, Dimmsdales name was not announced, therefore causing Dimmsdale to feel so much guilt that he became mentally incompetent. Chillingworth who is the husband of Hester was luckily back in Boston and had not died from a ship wreck as many people have guessed, but the return of Chillingsworth was negative because he got back at the time when Hester was being punished. Therefore Chillingworth became obsessed with revenge and ended up adding to Dimmsdales agony.

The anatomy of the rose is a symbolism of Pearl and also relates to the many parts of the Scarlet Letter. Pearl is a beautiful but vicious being and is associated with the Rose. The Scarlet Letter also shows the negative (thorns) and positive (delicate pedals) aspects of the story through Hester and Dimmsdales love, the return of Chillingsworth, and the Birth of Pearl. Roses are so beautiful but not many would pick it due to the thorns. Hester is one who picked the rose because she sees that the Rose’s unique beauty overrides the painful thorns. Although Pearl is Hesters curse and put Hester in so much agony, Hester will always have an undying love for Pearl. Pearl is her greatest treasure and her hope for living. All things beautiful come with a thorny side.