Throughout the course of the novel we see a significant change in Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. He is clearly not the same man that he once was at a certain time. He is obviously being hindered by something from growing mentally, physically, and spiritually. His unconfessed sin prohibits him from developing as a person and as a leading and prominent member of the community. From his unconfessed sin we see internal changes, external changes, and the way he is viewed by fellow townspeople.
             Charles Spurgeon, a highly renowned theologian of Puritan beliefs, once said, "When I kept silence, and did not pour out my sorrow where I ought to have confessed it, my bones waxed old through my roaring all day long." What he is saying is that if one has unconfessed sin and continually keeps it within, then he will suffer internally. We see that in Arthur Dimmesdale as his secret is destroying his emotions and being. It is well known that cases of grief through secrets that are kept inside grows more and more intense. "Many have lost their reason, because they had no good reason to tell their sorrow." This is what Charles Spurgeon says about unconfessed sin. When a child of God, such as Dimmesdale, sins, the right thing to do is to tell his Heavenly Father. The right thing to do is not to bottle up our emotions and sin, but it is to acknowledge our sins to God. For if we try to "reason" with our sins, then it will "devour" us. (Spurgeon). Dimmesdale was in constant grief and turmoil, because he refused to acknowledge his sin to God or others. He tried to reason with his sins, and thus, was almost destroyed by it. His pure hatred for himself for what he had done ate him up inside. He could no longer live with himself. He kept his secret bottled up for seven long years, and with the help of Chillingworth, it almost destroyed him. Dimmesdale was terrified of the thought of declaring his unrigh
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