What Are Some Ideas Expressed In The Scarlet Letter

What are some ideas expressed in The Scarlet Letter? The narrator in The Scarlet Letter said that each person should “Show freely to the world, if not (their) worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred.” This statement is highly debatable, and it has good reason to be challenged. Hester Prynne spent the majority of her life as a known adultress. The whole town knew of her sin, which was her worst trait. Reasoning and examples from the book clarify that knowing the worst about someone is not necessarily for anyone's benefit. First of all, knowing the worst of someone can increase distrust, and it can tempt someone to commit the same sin (because they wouldn't be the only one doing it). It is usually the case that one trusts another to a certain degree until there is a reason not to trust them. Several people need help in overcoming unsatisfactory habits and character flaws, but there is no need to gossip. …show more content…
Through social media, a person's faults (if found out about) may never be hidden again. Consequently, the whole world could know about them. News coming through newspapers, radio, or television can be incredibly harmful to someone's reputation. Once something is announced, it cannot be taken back. Often news is ruthless in its content of gossip, which can harm someone for the rest of their lives. Even though there is so much emphasis put on the necessity of being tactful, media is showing no aversion to liberal use of gossip. Telling a person the worst about one's self can give scandal to that person, which is a sin. Those who are younger (who might be following a person's example) can be led into committing sin through knowing about someone else's sin. Someone could be tempted to commit the same sin. As stated earlier, Jesus wants everyone to think of the good, true, and beautiful. Constant knowledge and revealment of someone's worst trait is certainly not