Someone's reluctance to acknowledge what they have done wrong is like putting a mask on reality. The mask hides lies and wrong actions but can also be the answer to all mistakes and misunderstandings. The novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, highlights how sin and lies lead to humiliation and punishment. Hester Prynne was a young Puritan woman who committed adultery and was forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" next to her breasts. Despite her sin, Hester was blessed with a beautiful little girl named Pearl. Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale punished Hester for her mistake even though he had also committed the same crime. Throughout the Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne describes hypocrisy as a sin that leads to grave wounds. These wounds represent the internal sense of guilt that the individual carries with him throughout his life. Since hypocrisy can lead to internal guilt, it emphasizes the idea of ​​self-preservation because no one wants to endure public shame in revealing their sin. Letting your reputation become more important than your life can lead to many complications. Rev. Dimmesdale was too afraid of the punishment and humiliation he would face. So he kept sin locked in his heart. Hawthorne uses rhetorical strategies such as tone to communicate an attitude towards the topic. Also use diction that refers to word choice to emphasize the meaning of the quote. Rev. Dimmesdale convinces Pearl to give up her idea of ​​appearing before the public to confess her sin. The thought of the “fear of being exposed to the public” quickly brought the “anguish” back inside him. He was already “trembling at the conjunction” in which he found himself (126-127). The tone in this passage is anguished and fearful because he is absolutely ter...... middle of paper ......t because he feared the public shame he would have to endure after revealing his sin. No one should live a double life – it should be the same as they are in their public and personal lives. Hawthorne describes hypocrisy as a struggle between public recognition and private guilt. This guilt can lead to extremes that no one will be able to live with. Hypocrisy can lead to internal guilt and emphasizes the idea of ​​self-preservation because no one wants to endure public shame in revealing their sin. Hypocrisy can eat an individual's soul alive. Meanwhile, hypocrisy changes people in many ways, but doubt remains because their feelings or words cannot be trusted. From hypocrisy it is much more difficult to be forgiven or healed from a sin that has already been revealed. Hypocrisy is a feeling that can easily lead you down the wrong path and turn the world upside down.