American Lit Podcast #5 Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (3 of 4)

Literary questions aren't really worth exploring if there's an obviously "right" answer, so let's explore a thorny question. Near the end of Chapter 13, in the third paragraph from the end.  

Hawthorne tells us of Hester, "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."

Now wait a minute... we learned from the meeting with the governor that Pearl is the only thing that keeps Hester from chucking it all and heading to the midnight meeting in the forest. Why does Hawthorne choose to tell us this detail?