"“Mother,” said little Pearl, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. Now, see! There it is, playing, a good way off. Stand you here, and let me run and catch it. I am but a child. It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!”"
This represents pearls innocence, even though she is supposed to symbolize her mothers sin, she does not really have any sins of her own. That is why the sun (light) does not hide from her and does from Hester. Pearl claims that she does not wear anything on her chest yet, meaning that she has nothing to be ashamed of, or to hide........YETTTTTTTTT!
YET. Note that Pearl does get a necklace near the end of the book. Also note that Pearl is allowed to become a woman at the end of the book. Before then she is part of nature and less like a person than some wild spirit. This is a good excerpt to keep in mind for your essay.
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