Secrecy, is the main acceleration point of The Scarlet Letter. It is what brings down all mankind at some point in time. Secrecy is what prevents trust, but also keeps it stable in today’s world. There is no where you could go, that doesn't have a secret or mystery to hide. What is the driving point of secrecy? Why is it that secrecy is always present in the face of conflict? What makes the feeling of need when secrecy comes into play?
The natural man has a divine but damaging tendency to desire the bare necessity of being safe. Secrecy, is just one thing that satisfies that tendency. This is why there is a recurring point in The Scarlet Letter, of secrecy causing problems. The natural man has a tendency to believe secrecy would do them …show more content…
He realized it in the most cunning way. After his intelligent interrogation, the secret was made very well known to Chillingworth.“Mr. Dimmesdale, conscious that the poison of one morbid spot was infecting his heart’s entire substance (page two of chapter eleven),” knew Chillingworth was onto him and that he needed to make a decision as to whether or not he would convey his secret to the public. What was holding him back and why is it so significant to him that it does? Because of Dimmesdale’s character, it is his natural tendency to try and protect himself by keeping the secret. He specifically states, when he attempts to share his secret, he wouldn’t be taken seriously and would have the effect of teaching a metaphorical lesson. “In their eyes, the very ground on which he trod was sanctified (page four of chapter eleven).” There was no way he would put himself out there as “your pastor, whom you so reverence and trust, am utterly a pollution and a lie (page five of chapter eleven).” Once Dimmesdale was certain of Chillingworth’s knowledge and intentions, he knew he had to reveal his secret. The very fact that Chillingworth was aware of his own iniquities, was the final breaking point for Dimmesdale. He admitted his secret, and died with
The natural man has a divine but damaging tendency to desire the bare necessity of being safe. Secrecy, is just one thing that satisfies that tendency. This is why there is a recurring point in The Scarlet Letter, of secrecy causing problems. The natural man has a tendency to believe secrecy would do them …show more content…
He realized it in the most cunning way. After his intelligent interrogation, the secret was made very well known to Chillingworth.“Mr. Dimmesdale, conscious that the poison of one morbid spot was infecting his heart’s entire substance (page two of chapter eleven),” knew Chillingworth was onto him and that he needed to make a decision as to whether or not he would convey his secret to the public. What was holding him back and why is it so significant to him that it does? Because of Dimmesdale’s character, it is his natural tendency to try and protect himself by keeping the secret. He specifically states, when he attempts to share his secret, he wouldn’t be taken seriously and would have the effect of teaching a metaphorical lesson. “In their eyes, the very ground on which he trod was sanctified (page four of chapter eleven).” There was no way he would put himself out there as “your pastor, whom you so reverence and trust, am utterly a pollution and a lie (page five of chapter eleven).” Once Dimmesdale was certain of Chillingworth’s knowledge and intentions, he knew he had to reveal his secret. The very fact that Chillingworth was aware of his own iniquities, was the final breaking point for Dimmesdale. He admitted his secret, and died with