Passage From the Text
" ' No matter, darling! ' responded Mistress Hibbins, making Pearl a profound reverence. ' Though thyself wilt see it, one time or another. They say, child, thou art of the lineage of the Prince of Air! Wilt thou ride with me, some fine night, to see thy father? Then thou shalt know wherefore the minister keeps his hand over his heart! ' "(187)
" ' Mistress Hibbins says my father is the Prince of the Air! ' cried Pearl, with her naughty smile. ' If thou callest me that ill name, I shall tell him of thee; and he will chase thy ship with a tempest! ' " (190)
" ' Mistress Hibbins says my father is the Prince of the Air! ' cried Pearl, with her naughty smile. ' If thou callest me that ill name, I shall tell him of thee; and he will chase thy ship with a tempest! ' " (190)
Response to the Text
6) I found this part of the story incredibly ironic because, up until this point, almost all signs had pointed to Pearl being the child of an evil spirit; however, this part of the text makes it clear that the opposite is the truth. This is a prime example of situational irony in that the reader doesn't expect a character as sporadic and unnatural as Pearl to be the child of God. I also found it interesting that immediately after telling Pearl of her heavenly father, Mistress Hibbins mentions her earthly father and how sinful he really is. Another reason why this is situational irony is that Mistress Hibbins, who seems to be a witch, is the one that knows of Pearl's true origin as a child of God. In the previous chapter Mistress Hibbins had discussed her relationship with the black man, with Dimmesdale. I also think that the mention of Pearl being descended from the Prince of Air explains why she is so frequently compared to birds in this chapter. Pearl is flying above the sin and hypocrisy of the Puritan faith and is therefore closer to her heavenly father. This section of the story is also interesting because for the first time that I can remember, Pearl responds negatively to being called a "witch-baby" or any other sort of evil name. She curses the man that says it and claims that her father will punish them for calling her a witch. It almost seems as though Pearl also comes to the same realization as the reader at the same time after Mistress Hibbins enlightens her.