One of the major themes in Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Scarlet Letter” is the idea of ​​the public self as distinct from the private self. This leitmotif encompasses much more than the idea of ​​individual versus society; it also contains the themes of hidden thoughts versus plain language, staying true to oneself versus meeting social expectations, and freedom through self-realization versus restriction through self-denial. The story develops three characters who represent different schools of thought regarding the contrast between the public and private selves. Understanding the mindset and approaches of each of these characters, as well as how they reconcile their two personalities, is critical to discerning Hawthorne's message. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first character, Hester Prynne, has the most consistency between her public and private persona. From the opening to the closing of the book, his public image mirrors his private thoughts and actions. Having already failed society's expectations, she is selfless, reserved, and free to think about life in unorthodox ways. In the public sphere, he does not retaliate against the masses' derogatory opinions towards him or try to change their feelings; instead, it accepts people, ideas, and attitudes at face value. He behaves similarly in private. This aspect of Hester's character is seen in her relationships with Pearl, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. First, Hester does not impose harsh restrictions on Pearl; he generally lets his daughter do whatever she wants. Hester only steps in to correct Pearl when Hester believes her daughter is behaving inappropriately. Hester takes Pearl at face value and acts accordingly in response; he does not try to govern Pearl to produce the desired result. This aspect of Hester reveals that she is not the type of person who dogmatically asserts her beliefs and opinions on others. She is content to accept the world and the people around her for what they are and make the best of them, regardless of her feelings. This approach to life can be seen in his public persona when he readily submits to the punishment of wearing the ignominious scarlet letter: accepting his fate and society's view. She doesn't necessarily agree with them, but she's willing to put her emotions aside to please others. This desire to please others can also be seen in the extensive amount of time Hester spends caring for society's outcasts. Hester's behavior in private with Dimmesdale is different from her behavior in public, but she remains true to herself in both scenarios. His thought is the same; yet he expresses his opinions in private while keeping them quiet in public. Publicly, he does not try to influence Dimmesdale in any direction as he seeks redemption for his transgressions: he leaves him alone. In private, however, she expresses her concerns and suggestions to him. Hester's approach is governed by her desire to appease Dimmesdale. She sees that Dimmesdale doesn't want to discuss their relationship in front of the community, so she remains silent. However, when she sees his private turmoil, she follows suit by talking to him about it privately. This further demonstrates Hester's kind, reserved, and welcoming nature: both clandestinely and publicly. Even with her detested husband, Roger Chillingworth, Hester displays a certain degree of submission and selflessness. He complies with Chillingworth's request not to reveal his true identity to the public. The only time she confronts him in private is to ask him tostop torturing Dimmesdale. This action also had nothing to do with Hester's previous disgust towards Chillingworth; it was simply to ease Dimmesdale's suffering. This once again demonstrates Hester's desire to please people. Hester's character is a testament to the good that comes from staying true to yourself, regardless of setting. In public, she appeases people by honoring her punishment and helps them by caring for the sick and making clothing. In private, he still strives to please others and assist them. By remaining true to herself and not wavering between two distinct modi operandi, secretly and openly, she achieves the greatest level of enlightenment and redemption among all of Hawthorne's characters. Roger Chillingworth's character demonstrates the atrocities that occur when a person's public self is completely divergent and illegitimate to their private self. He introduces himself as a kind old man who is there to assist the town with their illnesses, namely Dimmesdale's disease. However, in private, it is an evil angel of death who is there to twist the knife already placed in Dimmesdale's heart. In public, he pretends to care about Dimmesdale's medical condition and want to improve it; he appears to ignore the exact cause of Dimmesdale's suffering. This public display is completely fraudulent. Privately, Chillingworth knows that Dimmesdale is Hester's lover, and the only reason the vengeful old man helps the young reverend is to further Dimmesdale's suffering. Revenge is the poison that pervades all of Chillingworth's actions. However, he hides these reasons from the city. This concealment of his private self from the outside world transforms his initial drive for reconciliation and justified anger into an unhealthy and corrupt animosity. Hester confronts Chillingworth about the matter, but Chillingworth denies the opportunity to end the downward spiral, which marks her complete transformation into evil. Perhaps if Chillingworth had made his identity and intentions known to the public, then he could have put an end to his personal anger before it consumed him. Dimmesdale's character is defined by his piety; it is his greatest asset, and yet he is his downfall. His affair with Hester, in his mind, forever broke his sense of piety and righteousness. However, he distances himself from the new self-evaluation of himself and still participates in a reverend's religious activities. This alone constitutes a discrepancy between private self-esteem and public image. Furthermore, by vaguely stating to the audience that he is indeed a sinner, the populace venerates him further. This provides an even starker contrast between Dimmesdale's public image and private view of himself, which fuels the idea that his private self is his truest and most trustworthy side. Ergo, when he decides that he must declare and atone for his sins, he chooses to do so in a private context. His judgment is then compromised because he is exposed only to his own point of view and prejudices, without any empathy or alternative advice from anyone else. Because Dimmesdale has rejected all public opinions of him as false and ignorant, the alternative view Hester ultimately presents him with no guarantee of credibility. Although Dimmesdale is somewhat consistent because he acts miserably in both public and private, and says he is a sinner in both contexts, the two carry different weight in his mind. Dimmesdale's character reveals that it takes more than simply behaving the same in private and in public; we must also balance and value the two equally. He has invested too much time, energy, emotion and faith in the private, thing..