When Robert Chillingsworth first spoke with
Hester, he made her promise to never reveal his true identity. Hester, feeling
indebted to her husband because she cheated on him, agreed to his terms. But as
time goes by and Hester sees Dimmesdale suffer, she wonder if it would be best
to tell him Chillingsworth's secret. Hester ponders over whether the
truth will help the situation or it would hurt it.
People are told, “if you don’t have anything
nice to say, don’t say anything at all” many times while growing up. This
saying highlights one of the greatest fallacies in human nature; by keeping
something left unsaid it makes it nonexistent. For example, when someone sees
their friend at school wearing a new outfit she instinctively compliments her
friend- regardless of how the outfit truly looks. This approach may again you a
couple of brownie points with your friend at first, but in the end it truly
hurts her. By paying her a compliment you have boosted her self-esteem and
given a false sense of security. But, if you are feeling especially honest one
day, you can tell your friend how you truly feel about the outfit. The truth can
have very negative consequences. Your comment could do the opposite, it could
permanently ruin her self-esteem.
Hester’s dilemma is not the same, but it is
similar. By keeping Chillingsworth’s secret – inadvertently lying- she gives
Dimmesdale a false sense of confidence that Hester is trustworthy. On the other
hand, if she does tell Dimmesdale Chillingsworth’s secret she risks hurting a
person and risks permanently losing a relationship. As we near the climax of the story it is
interesting to see what Hester will do.
I love Audrey Hepburn.
ReplyDeleteI know a friend that consistently judges my clothing. I consider her a fashionable person, so her advice/insults hurt. One time she saw what I was wearing and said, "Did you get dressed in the dark, Edward." To this day, it hurts because I was quite conscious that morning. I guess I can relate to Hester.