The Scarlet Letter
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  • Chapters 1-6
    • Chapter 1
      • Chapter 2
        • Chapter 3
          • Chapter 6
          • Chapters 7-10
            • Chapter 7
              • Chapter 8
                • Chapters 9-10
                • Chapters 11-18
                  • Chapter 11
                    • Chapter 13
                      • Chapter 18
                      • Final Assignment

                      Chapter Eight: The Elf-Child and the Minister

                      Is Hester Prynne an unfit mother?

                      First we must ask what is a mother?

                      thefreedictionary.com
                      -A woman who raises a child.
                      -To give birth to; create and produce.
                      -To watch over, nourish, and protect maternally

                      Dictionary.com
                      -A term of address for a female parent or a woman having or regarded as having the status, function, or authority of a female parent.

                      merriam-webster.com
                      -Maternal tenderness or affection

                      oxforddictionary.com
                      -A woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth

                      Although there are many different interpretations of the true definition of a mother, the technical definitions remain the same. Hester Prynne can be considered a well-fit mother based upon the definitions found above. Although the way in which Hester conceived Pearl is considered a crime by the Puritan society, Hester still gives birth to and raises her daughter. Even though she is forced to wear the Scarlet Letter as a punishment, and is an outcast of society she manages to raise, nourish, and protect Pearl. As Hester is doing her best to convince the Governor that she is a fit mother and can take care of Pearl, Hester reveals that she wants nothing more than to prevent Pearl from becoming like her, so she teachs her "lessons whereof [her] child may be the wiser and the better". Hester takes care of Pearl on her own and adorns her with beautiful clothing. Although Pearl is often seen as a rambunctious and unruly child Hester loves her daughter unconditionally. Hester may not be the "perfect" mother because of her past, but she fits the  technical definitions of a mother.



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