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’ to
rmenting 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 secret (Hawthorne 45). Many of these secrets are somewhat acceptable in our society, which contrasts the different generations.
Many people in the puritans lived a lie. Through keeping secrets people who thought they would find peace only found guilt and stress. The strict morals and beliefs of the puritans in Hawthorne’s world ended many peoples’ lives and help begin others.
In today’s world many people commit sins on a daily basis without feeling guilty. Things such as adultery seem a t
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