Blog Post Response to a Quote #2

A quote on page 83 of The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, reads, "The discipline of the family, in those days, was of a far more rigid kind than now." This quote alludes to harshness of punishment within the family, and it also compares the norm of that time period to the norm of the author's.

Hester Prynne's daughter, pearl, is described as being somewhat disobedient, so this quote appropriately ties in to the story. However, a layer of complexity is added when one considers that Hester herself is being disciplined by a higher authority at the same time she might be trying to discipline her child. This may not bode well with regards to controlling the child's behavior.

This quote helps describe how beatings were common back in the day, though not severe ones. It is almost contradictory, however, that hester may have sufferred beatings herself as a grown woman and an adulter, while her somewhat disobedient child may have to suffer the same from a "criminal."

In time, it is almost certain that Pearl would lose all respect for her mother based on her crime and what other people say about her. She will want to disobey her orders and separate herself from even being associated with Hester. She is probably ashamed of her heritage, and for this reason she will likely defy her mother with hopes that one day she can be considered socially normal. In this case, the want to be accepted by society may very well outweight the bond between a mother and her child.