When Dimmesdale invites them to mount the scaffold, what is Pearl's reaction?

• A. She cries
• B. She embraces Dimmesdale
• C. She runs away
• D. She ignores them

Answer: (B)

The moment tests Pearl’s capacity to recognize and connect with the people who surround her, especially her father figure. When Dimmesdale invites them to mount the scaffold, Pearl responds with openness and affection, moving toward him and clinging to him in an embrace. This shows her instinctive trust and sense that Dimmesdale belongs with Hester and Pearl, even though he has been distant from that bond. Her embrace signals a willingness to include him in their shared life and the moral moment the scaffold represents, foreshadowing the public acknowledgment of their secret. The other reactions—crying, running away, or ignoring—don’t fit the scene’s mood, which centers on connection, recognition, and the possibility of reconciliation.