Question

PLEASE HELP ME
What does the following statement from Hester Prynne mean?
"At times, a fearful doubt strove to possess her soul, whether it were not better to send Pearl at once to heaven, and go herself to such futurity as Eternal Justice should provide."

A. She contemplates killing both Pearl and herself to escape their torment.
B. Hester thinks about running away from Salem with Pearl, never to return.
C. Hester considers revealing the identity of Pearl's father to help free all of their souls.
D. She contemplates sending Pearl away to live with another family who can take better care of her.

Answer 1

The correct answer is A. She contemplates killing both Pearl and herself to escape their torment.
She is living in a Puritan society which is there to judge her every move - so when she cheats on her presumably dead husband, and gives birth to a girl, obviously her life turns to hell (even though it is mostly self-inflicted). She wants to escape that hell through death, which she would give to both herself and her daughter.