Hester Prynne's daughter is named what?

• A. Pearl
• B. Hester
• C. Dimmesdale
• D. Chillingworth

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how Hawthorne uses symbolic naming to convey character and theme. Hester Prynne’s daughter is named Pearl, a name chosen to mirror her status as something precious yet costly in a community scarred by sin. The name functions as a symbol: she is a living jewel to Hester, cherished and priceless, but she also embodies the price Hester has paid and the burden of sin that society sees in her. Pearl’s existence drives home the novel’s exploration of guilt, grace, and social judgment.

Other characters’ names belong to the adults who shape the story—Hester is the mother, Dimmesdale is the minister she bears a child with, and Chillingworth is her husband. None of those are the daughter’s name, which is why Pearl is the correct answer.