Pearl's Father

I believe the Pearl's father is Dimmesdale because whenever he is around Hester and her child, he is constantly nervous. When the four men come to approach Hester and Pearl, Dimmesdale is the only one who defended them and persuaded the other men to not separate the two people. A colossal hint of Dimmesdale's relation to Pearl is when Pearl put his hand upon her cheek; Pearl usually rejects many people, but is very accepting of the minister. The irony of the situation is that the minister is the fellow sinner, which could create a huge outrage in the community. Also, Hester is most likely so defensive on the identity of the father because if the secret were to become known it would be a huge deal.