American literature often focuses on the errors of human existence. Many of America's greatest literary works were written during the Romantic period (1820-1900). A novel considered a classic written during the Romantic period is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter is a great example of the harshness of sin. The novel The Scarlet Letter demonstrates the theme that deception and secrecy can be destructive through Hester Prynne, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. First, Hester's deception and secrecy lead to a destructive mark. Hester's involvement with a man who was not her husband made her a symbol of female frailty and sinful passion. Hester's mark is “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded by elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A. (50) Her creativity in making attractive a symbol of sin was not it was permitted by the dark Puritans. Hester decides to stay where her sin was committed, alienating her from Puritan society making her even more of an outsider than she already was. Lonely as Hester's situation was, and without a friend on earth who dared to show himself, she, however, was in no danger of misery.'' (75) Hester was alone with only Pearl to share her life with. Hester, immediately beautiful, had lost her beauty following her sin. “His personal attractiveness had also undergone a similar change.” (150) Hester's decision to hide the fact that Chillingworth is her husband leads him to torture Dimmesdale. “Your hold is on his life, and you make him die a living death every day; and yet he does not know you. (156) Subsequently, Dimmesdale's concealment of his guilt leads him to deceive himself and others... middle of paper... turning, for seven years, into the constant analysis of a heart full of torture, and deriving his enjoyment from there, and adding fuel to those fiery tortures which he analyzed and delighted in. (155-56) Having lost his strength and energy after Dimmesdale's death, Chillingworth “permanently faded, withered, and almost faded from the sight of mortals. (236 The theme that deception and secrecy can be destructive was demonstrated through Hester Prynne, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne's secret of not telling Dimmesdale that Chillingworth was her husband caused Dimmesdale to torture him until to death. Dimmesdale deludes himself into not telling his sin and sacrifices his daughter, Pearl and his love for Hester turns his academic nature into a devil.