If it weren't for Pearl

I'm currently reading Scarlet Letter in my 11th grade AP lang/Comp class. I find the language hard to read, so some chapters I'm just skimming for plot. The plot is good, but so much gets in the way. "junk" like symbolism, imagery, diction, etc. I don't like Hester, I don't like Chillingsworth, I don't like the people of the town, and I barely like Dimmsdale, he's just so pathetic. If it weren't for Pearl, I might have given up on the entire book. She's certainly is a devil, but she sure is fun to read about.