Why is Pearl upset when her mother calls her?

Why is Pearl upset when her mother calls her?

• A. She is overwhelmed by attention from the adults.
• B. She is jealous of Dimmesdale and Hester together and does not notice her scarlet letter, hair cap, etc.
• C. She wants to explore the forest alone.
• D. She is attracted to the forest.

Answer: (B)

Pearl’s upset shows how intensely she reads the adults around her and longs to be the focus of their world. When Hester calls Pearl, she senses the growing closeness between Hester and Dimmesdale and feels left out of their bond. That feeling of being excluded sparks jealousy, which explains Pearl’s distress in that moment. Because she’s so tuned to human relationships, she doesn’t fixate on her own scarlet letter or on Hester’s headpiece at that instant; her attention is consumed by the adults’ connection. This is why the answer points to Pearl’s jealousy of Dimmesdale and Hester together, rather than any desire to be alone in the forest or attraction to the forest itself.

Pearl’s upset shows how intensely she reads the adults around her and longs to be the focus of their world. When Hester calls Pearl, she senses the growing closeness between Hester and Dimmesdale and feels left out of their bond. That feeling of being excluded sparks jealousy, which explains Pearl’s distress in that moment. Because she’s so tuned to human relationships, she doesn’t fixate on her own scarlet letter or on Hester’s headpiece at that instant; her attention is consumed by the adults’ connection. This is why the answer points to Pearl’s jealousy of Dimmesdale and Hester together, rather than any desire to be alone in the forest or attraction to the forest itself.