"""The strain on Hester and Pearls relationship from in the The Scarlet Letter is brought on by the fact that Hesters sin from the past causes...""

Hester's
scarlet letter has made her into a pariah. The inner insecurities, self-hatred, and
sanctimonious nature of the villagers make them spill their feelings onto Hester as if none of
them had ever committed a sin. There are several instances when Hester andhave to tolerate the
ill treatment of others, but we find that Pearl is actually who acts like Hester's mouthpiece
and sticks for her mother in spite of what others are doing.

In chapter VII,
"The Governor's Hall", we find Hester and Pearl taking a public route to the
Governor's mansion not only to deliver some pieces of wardrobe that Hester had been requested to
furnish, but also because Hester had heard that the aldermen were considering removing Pearl
from Hester's care.

During the walk, Hester expected the usual: having to
bow her head and point at the scarlet letter, the public scorn of , and even the mention of her
sin at sermons which she also attended.

This time, a group of children
crossed their way and said cruelly-

Behold, verily, there
is the woman of the scarlet letter; and, of a truth, moreover, there is the likeness of the
scarlet letter running along by her side! Come, therefore, and let us fling mud at
them!

to this, Pearl responded with such wrath that the
children ran away.

Even as Hester leaves the prison in chapter II, there is
an evident dislike of Hester and the child, especially coming from the goodwives who waited
outside the jail just to stare at Hester and to talk against her.

I'll tell ye a piece of my mind. It would be greatly for the public behoof if we women,
being of mature age and church-members in good repute, should have the handling of such
malefactresses as this !

Another example occurs in
"The Marketplace"

she had fortified herself to
encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public contumely, wreaking itself in every variety of
insult.. Had a roar of laughter burst from the multitude--each man, each woman, each little
shrill-voiced child, contributing their individual parts--Hester Prynne might have repaid them
all with a bitter and disdainful smile.

Therefore, from
the moment she is put on the scaffold to be ridiculed by others, up until the death of , Hester
has had to carry with her the burden of the scarlet letter, and the anger of the people who so
sanctimoniously express their holier than thou attitudes against a woman who really did not
commit a crime.