The Puritan Fools of the Scarlet Letter "What is one man's poison is another man's meat or drink," wrote Beaumont and Fletcher in one of their plays. Almost everything in the world can be interpreted in at least two contrasting ways. In The Scarlet Letter, Puritan society shuns a character called Pearl, yet the author, who lived in the Romantic period, views her with awe. Nathaniel Hawthorne's use of nature imagery in The Scarlet Letter reflects the wild and capricious character of Pearl who serves as a constant reminder of Hester's sin and whose romantically idealistic beauty frightens Puritan society. In Hawthorne's descriptions of Pearl as an infant and child, images of nature emphasize Pearl's striking beauty and her unpredictable, yet innocent character. Pearl's beauty and innocence are evident from the moment of her birth. Hawthorne describes Pearl's "innocent life [as] a lovely and immortal flower" (Hawthorne 81). Even though Pearl is the product of "guilty passion" (81) between Hester and Dimmesdale, both her soul and body are pristine and flawless. Hester notes that Pearl has no physical defects, but Pearl's character has an inexplicable aspect of strangeness and unpredictability. When playing near Hester's cottage, Pearl "[strikes] [and] mercilessly root[s] out [the] ugliest weeds" (87) which she pretends are the Puritan children. Hester believes that Pearl is so emotional and capricious because the passion that Hester and Dimmesdale experienced during their sinful act has somehow transferred itself into Pearl's soul. However, Pearl's dislike of the Puritans is justified; children often torment her for no good reason. When Hester and Pearl go to town, the Puritan children stop playing and surround Pearl and stare at her or prepare to hurl mud at the unfortunate couple. Both actions of the Puritans provoke a fit of indignation from Pearl. One of the reasons the Puritans treat Pearl badly is because of her mother's sin. Puritans believe that because Pearl is the product of adultery, she is automatically evil and depraved. The Puritan hatred for Pearl is also due to the fact that she, like Hester's scarlet letter, is beautiful, and they are in a certain sense jealous of both. Supposedly, Hester's scarlet "A" is a punishment, but she richly embroiders it and wears it with subtle pride. When the Puritans first see the "A", they want to replace it with an "A" made of