500
When the town’s leaders want to take Pearl away from Hester, Mr. Dimmesdale says to them concerning Pearl’s existence, “[She has been made] to keep the mother’s soul alive, and to preserve her from blacker depths of sin into which Satan might else have sought to plunge her” (104-105).
After leaving the men, Hester is approached by Mistress Hibbons. She asks Hester to join her in the forest to meet the Black Man, but Hester declines because she must care for Pearl. In connection with the quote above, this is an example of which of the following:
a. Symbolism
b. Parable
c. Metaphor
d. Flashback
B. Parable