Hester's actions in regard to dressing her child in beautiful, colorful garments can be interpreted in several ways, and these different interpretations all can be supported by the literature. The psychology of Hester's actions, for instance, should be considered, since Hawthorne's understanding of human psychology shapes so much of the novel and the characters' behaviors. The extravagant way Hester dresses Pearl, in complete contradiction to Puritan values, suggests an emotional rebellion on Hester's part.
Hester endures her terrible punishment on the scaffold. She stays in Boston and wears the scarlet letter. She submits herself to daily humiliation, shame, and ostracism. However, at the first opportunity, she declares her abiding love for Dimmesdale and makes plans with him to leave and start a new life. This indicates clearly that Hester has chosen to remain in Boston only to be near him. There is no genuine repentance in her for having loved Dimmesdale. The stern, punishing Puritans have not broken her spirit.
By dressing Pearl so ornately, Hester rebells against the gray society that represses her. Her actions reveal that, like Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, her outward appearance does not "match" her inner identity. In psychological terms, she makes her "child of sin" beautiful in what seems to be an act of passive aggression. Pearl's appearance reflects her mother's genuine self.
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