Come On, What's The Honest Truth

        

Honesty is hard to find these days.  Being honest is very important to me.  Honesty is expressing the absolute truth no matter how hard it might be or what the circumstances are.

Just as it is hard to find honesty in today's world, it is difficult to locate honesty throughout The Scarlet Letter.  Whether it is Dimmesdale evading the truth of being the other half to Hester's unthinkable sin in a Puritan society; or Chillingworth refusing to reveal his true purpose of leeching off of Dimmesdale; they are all liars.  Each character deceives other characters through lies.  The Scarlet Letter would not be without deception and lies.  It is through Hester's refusal to reveal to Dimmesdale the truth of whom Chillingworth really is for seven years that Dimmesdale in the end dies.  Dimmesdale repeatedly asks, "Who is this man..." (Hawthorne 153)?  He suspects Chillingworth is not whom he says he is.  Dimmesdale has "...a nameless horror of the man" (Hawthorne 153)!  Chillingworth has bidden Hester keep the truth from anyone in the town to his true identity.  She keeps it for seven years at the detriment of Dimmesdale's health and life.  The truth that in the end kills Dimmesdale is Chillingworth is Hester's true husband back from England.


Since there are lies are everywhere in today's society, there are many examples I could bring forth.  One example can be Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky.  Clinton tries to keep it a secret of his affair while in the presidency.  He is impeached, but able to keep the presidency all the while.  His lie to the American public and deception is not impressive or pretty.  His lie has undoubtedly caused many other failures throughout the last few decades.  His example of dishonesty and sex while in a marriage has possibly led to many other accounts of these sorts of activities.  The least President Clinton could have done was to be honest with the American public as to his failures in office.  Therefore, there would have been a greater pride in our president's character and courage.