Question

in the scarlet letter, hester prynne is a puritan woman who is publicly shamed for having a child out of wedlock. she bears the daily scorn without revealing the identity of her childs father. meanwhile, the towns young minister begins showing increasing outward signs of distress. when hesters husband, assumed to be lost at sea, returns to town under an assumed identity, he deduces that the minister is indeed the father and sets about plotting his revenge. which theme statement best matches the summary? a. when we hide from our problems, they eventually catch up to us. b. hidden sin is less destructive than that which is exposed. c. revenge can be sweet, but forgiveness is sweeter. d. in a world of turmoil, lasting peace can be found in spirituality.

Explanation:

The summary focuses on Hester's public shame for her exposed sin, while the minister's hidden sin causes him increasing distress, and her husband's revenge stems from uncovering that hidden sin. Option A does not fit as the minister's distress is from hiding, not a problem catching up in that framing. Option C is incorrect because revenge is only introduced, not compared to forgiveness. Option D is irrelevant as spirituality and peace are not addressed in the summary. Option B aligns: Hester endures public scorn but does not show the minister's level of distress, showing the hidden sin (the minister's) is more destructive, meaning exposed sin is less so.

Answer:

B. Hidden sin is less destructive than that which is exposed.