"But the brook, in the course of its little lifetime among the forest-trees, had gone through so solemn an experience that it could not help talking about it, and seemed to have nothing else to say. Pearl resembled the brook, inasmuch as the current of her life gushed from a well-spring as mysterious, and had flowed through scenes shadowed as heavily with gloom. But, unlike the little stream, she danced and sparkled, and prattled airily along her course." ((Chapter 16/PAGE 163))
The connection with Pearl and an appendage of nature is something made obvious and leaves me with little to elaborate on. The brook has lived very little, such as Pearl has, being roughly only 6-7 years old. Many things Pearl does not understand; things such as the Black Man, the scarlet letter, the actions of Mr. Dimmesdale. Things she can't help but constantly ask her mother about, such as the little water way 'whispers' of the sorrows it has witnessed and there is nothing more for it to voice.
The line, "But, unlike the little stream, she danced and sparkled, and prattled airily along her course." seems a bit false. The stream is currently under the spell of the society due to the presence of Hester just on the other side of the waterway. All of the sunshine within the presence of the scarlet letter must shriek away in horror for "the sunshine does not love her!". Nature can resume its prosperity and happiness once the grip of the society has gone away. (Which is contrasted by Pearl not joining her mother and Arthur until the symbol is replaced on Hester's chest.) The stream could dance and sparkle just as well as Pearl, but only until the horrible letter/society has ended its reign within the brook's presence. The one thing that sets the two beings apart, is that Pearl is the letter and a stronger symbol of nature than the letter is of society, therefore she can dance and sparkle and live as a free spirit without the worry of the society crushing down on her and filling her with impurities and guilt.
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