Scarlet Letter
Secret Sin Leads to Guilt
In ?The Scarlet Letter?, Hawthorne depicts a way of life that no longer exists in today?s society. It was a society of fear in a strict moral code. The morals, which were based on religious beliefs, were usually taken too seriously and gave birth to a generation of extremists known as puritans. Many puritans had ridiculously harsh punishments when a law was broken which caused many to live secretly.
Secrets are never revealed or told to others in the puritan community. When Chillingworth says to Dimmesdale ?Yet some men bury their secrets thus? it shows to what extent puritans would go to keep their sins hidden from the public (Hawthorne 130). The fact that Dimmesdale could not tell anyone what he had done for fear of punishment and rejection is clearly shown by Chillingworths? tormenting comments. Once secrets were out everyone in the community knew about it immediately. Hester cannot even bring herself to tell her own daughter the true reason for the scarlet letter, which seems everyone but Pearl knows. Hester states, ?I will keep thy secret, as I have his? which shows her intent on keeping her
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