The world of children was one Nathaniel Hawthorne knew well and in Hester's relationship with Pearl in The Scarlet Letter he described a method of child rearing that was growing in popularity in his time and that he practiced with his own children. Built on love, mutual give and take, and gentle authority, it was a far cry from the stern, dictatorial method of handling children in the 1600's. The relationship of Hester and Pearl was based on the Hawthornes' handling of their children rather than on any Puritan models.