TiffiniBarnes

Mrs.Pierce
APEnglishIV
May24,2016
SecrecythatLieswithintheHeartsofMen
Whatlieswithinthenatureofmankindisnotintendedforalleyestosee.Humanbeings
naturetendstofallbackontodeceptionintheworldastheytrytocoexistwithotherhumansand
creatures.Thedeceptionthattheytendtorelyonisthatofsecrecy.Throughoutthedawnof
time,manylivesstruggledthroughsecretskeptfromlovedonesandothersforfearoftheworse
tocomeiftheirsinswerespokenof.Asthephrasegoes,Ignoranceisbliss,onemustwonder
howfarcanignorancegountilthereisnopointofreturn.Itmaybeblissfultokeepsecretsfrom
lovedones,however,thereismoreharmthannoneassuchanactofignorancecandosome
seriousdamageonthepersonthemselves.Nottomentionthelovedoneswhogetcaughtin
betweenthecrossfireofthesinscommitted.Apersoncannotlearnfromtheirmistakesifthey
bottleuptheirsecretsforsolong.Withtruthcomeswisdom,however,mostpeopledonotget
thatluxuryintheend.InMaryShelleys
Frankenstein
,OscarWildes
ThePictureofDorian
Gray
,

andKhaledHosseinis
TheKiteRunner
,thenovelsdepictsecrecyasarecurringtheme
throughoutthepagesofeachstory.Withinthebondsoftheircharactersliesthedarkestdepths
beyondreachofmanwithoutthehelpofcommunication.Secrecybringsaboutharmand
destructiontothecharactersastheystruggletoconfessthesinsuntowhichtheyhavecommitted
usingsymbolism,foreshadowing,andirony.Sinsofmankindbringaboutdestructioninits
wakeningiftheknowledgeabletruthiskepthiddeninthedepthsoftheirheartsthroughhistory

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andliteraryworks.Secrecycanbeharmfulanddangeroustoanindividualandcouldpotentially
makesaidindividualmeettheirdemisefromthecorruptionbroughtaboutfromthedevioussins.
Secrecycomesfromalotofthings.Eachindividualhashadatleastonesecretthatthey
havetriedtokeepfromtheirlovedonesandothers.Asasocietyasawhole,knowledgeiskept
hiddenfrompryingearsforfearofpowerbeinggivenintothewronghands.Thereisalsothe
factthatpeoplefeeltheyareprotectingeveryonefromthetruthhowever,theyfailtorealizethat
keepingsuchknowledgefromotherscanresultinpsychologicalmeltdownsandcreatearift
betweenlovedones.Theconsequencesofkeepingthetruthhiddencanbecomeseverethelonger
ittakestoholdontosuchknowledge.Secretsholdthekeytopreventingpeoplefrommovingon
withtheirlivesandendupdetrimentaltotheirhealth,bothphysicallyandpsychologically.As
ImberBlackhadpointedout,peoplebreakdownfromtheinsideoutwhentheytrytohidethe
truthforyears.Holdingbackknowledgecanhaveadestructivepowerthatevenmanstrugglesto
holdontothroughouttheirlives.
Anironicaltwistiswhenmankindtendstodeceiveothersfortheirpurposesinlifethat
couldeventuallyleadtoanunexpectedturnofevents.Suchadeceptionhasitsown
consequenceswhichiswhysocietyviewsthistobeanorm.Beidelmandiscussesaboutthe
socialparadoxesofkeepingsecretsaspeopletryinvaintomastertheircontinuousproblemsin
lifewhichleadtonowhereforthemintheend.Thethoughtofsecrecyisasocialstandardthat
manypeopletendtohaveatsomepointintheirlifeastheknowledgeofhavingsuchtruthscan
befartoodangeroustokeeptothemselves.Theparadoxofsecrecyreferstogenuinemasksand
apersonsrolewithinsociety.Everycharacterorpersonhastheirownstorytotellandsecretsto

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spilliftheyfailtojustifytheirownreasonsforhidingcertainknowledge.Secretscanbeadeadly
thingtoholdonto,especiallyiftheyfallintothewronghands.Asasocietyasa
whole,deceptionisconsideredasocialnormandplaysakeyfactorinmanyrolessuchasthe
governmentorliteraryworks.Literaryworkssuchas
Frankenstein
byMaryShelley.
Inthenovel
Frankenstein
,oneofthethemespresentedthroughoutthestoryissecrecy.
Secrecyisoneofthemostsignificantthemesinthenovel.Theauthor,MaryShelley,shows
secrecythroughVictorFrankensteinsobsessivenaturewithcreatinglife,thedestructionofhis
owncreature,andthecreaturesisolationfromtheworldduetoitsmalformedappearance.
VictorFrankensteinbeganhisstudiesofhumananatomyandthehuntforknowledgeto
createlifeuponthetragiclossofhismother,Caroline,whocontractedscarletfeverfrom
Elizabeth.Heisdriventowardsanobsessiontocreatelifewithhisnewfoundknowledge,gained
fromhisstudiesatthecollege,andwithhisownbarehands.However,whenhefinallydidcreate
alifeformfrombodypartsofthedeadhegatheredinsecrecy,Victorturnedawayfromhis
creation.Insteadoftakingresponsibilityoverhiscreature,Victorranawayandlefthiscreation
onitsown.Hehadkeptthecreatureasecretfromhislovedonesandtherestofsociety,
unknowntothefactthatthelifehecreatedwouldcomebacktohaunthim.VictorFrankenstein
wasspookedforawhileonthewhereaboutsofthecreature,noteventellinghisbestfriend
HenryClervalwhyhewasillwhenhisfriendcametostudyatthesamecollege.WhenVictor
returnshomeafterhearingthenewsofhisyoungerbrother,William,perishingatthehandsofan
unknownassailant,hethendiscoveredhiscreationlurkingthegroundsofwhereWilliamwas
murdered.Herealizesthatthecreaturewasthemurdererandtellshisfamilythatheknowswho

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strangledWilliam,however,JustinetakesthefallforthecrimewhenVictorfailedtotell
everyonewhoexactlykilledhim.Hefearedthathewouldbejudgedordeemedcrazyifhe
bluntlystatedthatacreaturemadebyhisownhandswasthekiller.Justineisthenkilledforthe
crimewhilethecreatureisfreefromcharge.Hisbestfriend,Henry,waskilledlaterinthestory
afterVictorhidthefactthathewasonthejourneyinordertocreateamateforthecreature
(whichhebackedoutonatthelastsecond).HehadalsofailedtoinformhisbelovedElizabeth
thatthecreaturewouldvisitthemontheirweddingnightasheleftherintheroomtomeether
owndemisebysaidcreature.VictorFrankensteinfailedtospeakofthemonsterhecreatedand
paidtheconsequenceswiththelifeofhislovedonesbeingtakenfromhimuntilhehadnothing
leftbutthecreatureitself.
Asthestoryprogresses,Victorslovedonesarekilledoffonebyonebecausehefailedto
tellthetruth.Ifhehadspokeofthecreatureinthefirstplacebeforethedeathsoccurred,there
wouldhavebeenachancetoatleastpreventthemajorityofdeaths.However,thatwasnotthe
casetotheplotofthestoryasVictorFrankensteincontinuedtoholdbackthetruthashisworld
crumbledbeforehisveryeyes.Hethensetsforthonamissionofrevengeafterhehadnothing
lefttoholdhimback.Victortakesituponhimselftoseekoutthecreatureonalongjourneythat
detacheshimfromsocietywhennobodyelsewantedtopursuethemurdererofhisfamilyand
friends.ThecreaturewassecretlykeepingVictorFrankensteinalivesothathecouldcontinueto
pursuehim.Although,thetollwasgreatonVictorsbodyfromthejourneyfarfromsocietyas
hefellillandpassedawaywhichleftthecreaturealoneoncemoreintheworld.

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Thecreatureinthenovelisolateshimselffromsocietyduetothegrotesqueappearance
hewasgivenuponhiscreationbyVictorFrankenstein.Whenhefirststartedoutintheworld,
thecreaturedidnotunderstandatfirstwhypeopleattackedhimorranfromhim.Heeventually
realizedtheywerejudginghimontheoutsideratherthaninside.Therefore,whenhelivedinthe
wallsoftheDeLaceyfamily,hedecidedtostayhiddenfromthemforthetimebeing.Hedid
performsecretactssuchastakingbooksfromthemtoread,plowingthesnowfortheirwalkway
whenwintercame,andsettinglogsontheirdoorstepafterchoppingthewoodfromthewoods.
Hefearedtheywouldnotaccepthimbyhislooksaloneaftercomingtotheconclusionthathe
wantedtohavethemasfriends,sohewaited.Whenthecreaturedecidedtomakehispresence
knownatlast,hewasquicklyrejectedandattacked.Uponrejection,thecreatureplottedagainst
hiscreatorforcausinghispaininsociety.HekillsVictorsyoungerbrotherWilliam,frames
Justinewhichleadstoherowndemise,finishesHenryoff,andchokesthelifefromElizabethon
herweddingnightwhenleftalone.Thecreatureinthenovelkepthisidentityasecretfrom
othersafterherealizedthatpeoplewouldnotaccepthimbecauseofhislooks.Hethentookit
uponhimselftodestroyVictorFrankensteinslifeuntiltherewasnothingleftbutthetwoof
themintheirsecretpursuitofeachother.Eventually,however,Victorfelltohisownillness
whichleftthecreaturetohisownfateashedisappearedtoneverbeseenagain.
Overall,theconfidentialnaturemanifestedbyVictorandthecreaturehelpsdevelopthe
plotofthestory.Withoutsecrecyplayingakeyroleinthenovel,
Frankenstein
,thestoryitself
wouldnotbeasindepthnorwouldtheendingturnoutthewayitdidifitlackedthetheme.
Anothernovelwhereknowledgeabletruthiskepthiddenis
TheKiteRunner
.

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Inthenovel
TheKiteRunner
byKhaledHosseini,onethemethatisshownthroughout
thestoryissecrecy.Unlikethesayingignoranceisbliss,thereadersareabletoseethat
Hosseinischaractersarelyingtooneanotherinordertoprotecteachotherhowever,thesecrets
thatwereoncethoughttobeaprotectionfromthetruthwereactuallycausingmoreharmthan
good.Twoparticularcharacters,AmirandBaba(likefather,likeson),appeartorepresentthis
particulartheme.ThebetrayalofhidingthetruthwithinthisnovelrevolvesaroundHassans
rape,therevelationofBabafatheringHassan,andtryingtoredeemoneselfamongthetheftof
sincerity.
Aroundthebeginningchapters,thestoryrevealsatragedythatwouldbethetestoftime.
Hassan,Amirsbestfriend,endsupbeingrapedbyaboynamedAssefwhileAmirjustwatched
behindthescenes.Hedidnotgotosavehisfriendbecausehewasbusycaughtupinhisown
idealstowinaffectionfromhisfather,Baba.UnknowntoAmir,hewasthentrappedinastateof
paralysisashisguiltwasbeginningtoform.Likeanaddictionthatcannevergoaway,the
narrator(Amir)piledonmoreliestoconcealhistruenaturewhichbackfiredonhimwhenthe
truthcomesknockingonhisdoor.Theguiltinthenovelsymbolizesthepaincausedbythenever
endingbattleoftruthandlies,however,thebattlewillonlycometoacloseoncethetruthhas
beenrevealed.ThecycleofliesAmirhadcreatedtocoveruphislieswasliterallyhurtinghimto
thepointwhereitbecameunbearabletohandlehewouldcringeinternallywhenhecovereda
newlie.IfAmirhadtoldthetruthsoonerinthefirstplaceratherthanholdbackforseveralyears
asthesecretspiledon,hewouldhaverelievedhimselfofsomuchguiltwiththatclosureinhand.

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Instead,heranoverandoverinacircleofliesthatcausedmoreharmthangood.Then,thereis
Babasdeceptionthatatehimupinsideaswell.
Asthestorymoveson,AmircomestofindthetruththatBabahadbeenhidingforso
longuntilhisdeath.AmirdidnotknowthatHassanwashishalfbrotheruntilRahimKhantold
himthetruth.Babahadbeensufferingovertheyearsbecauseofthesecrethehadkeptfrom
everyone.ThesecretpainedhimbecauseheneverrevealedtotruthtoHassan,whichmayhave
preventedHassanfromleavingandthuschangethestoryforbetterorforworse.However,Baba
keptthetruthtohimselfwhichmadehimsufferinthelongrun.InBabashead,hefeltthatthe
secretprotectedeveryone.Remainingignorantofthetruthdoesnotofferprotection,butrather
anillusiontoreality.ThefalserealityBabahadsetupcausedtheeventsinthenoveltoturnout
thewaytheydid.Amironlylearnedthetruthbehindthefalserealityafterhisfatherspassing.
Otherwise,ifBabahadspokenupsoonerinlife,manyeventsinthestorymayhavehada
differentoutcome.
Finally,thestorynearstheendofthepiledonsecretswhereAmirtriestoredeemthesins
committedfromhisownsecretsalongwithhisfathers.Hewasabletodosowhenhetellshis
wife,Soraya,everythingandabloodybeatingfromAssefwhichresultedinasplitlip(brotherly
bondwithHassan).TheguiltthatfollowedAmirthroughouthislifehadbeenliftedandthe
resultwasthathefelttruepeaceatlast.Helearnsthatitwasbettertobesincereinlifethantolie
abouthisnatureandendurethepain.Thesecretsillusionplacedonrealitybrokeawaythe
momentAmirwasabletostepoutofhisparalysisstateandgrewintoamanatlast.Wisdomwas
leftinitswakingasAmirlearnedtoalwaysbehonestandtruejoywillbeexperiencedforhim.

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Thesecretskeptthroughoutthenoveluntiltheveryendprovesthatignoranceisnot
alwaysblissful.Infact,goingalongwiththeliescancausemassiveguiltthatwillruinmorelives
ratherthansavingthem.Amirsguiltin
TheKiteRunner
symbolizedthepreventioninhis
growthascharacterbecausehecouldnotownuptohissins.BothHassansrapeandBababeing
Hassansbiologicalfatherweresetinhismindashetriedtogooninlife.However,hewas
relievedofhisguiltwhenhetoldhiswifeeverythingabouthislifeandwhenAssefhadbeaten
himupwhenhewasgettingSohrab.TheguiltnolongeraffectedAmir,therefore,nobodyelse
wouldgethurtfromthesecrecyduetotheclosure.Amirwasabletomoveonandforgive
himselfandhisfatherintheendofitall.Asstatedbefore,ignoranceisnotalwaysblissful.
Thereforeitisbettertorevealthetruthratherthankeepingsecretsthatwillcausemoreharm
thanintendedwithacontinuouscycleoflies.Suchacontinuouscycleofliescanbefoundin
OscarWildes
ThepictureofDorianGray
.
ThePictureofDorianGray
centersaroundayoungmanbythenameofDorianGray.
Hintingatthetitle,thestoryindicatesthatsaidyoungmanhasasecretofhisown.Thepictureof
DorianGrayhimselfhidesthesinscondemnedandthetrueofamanwhoseemstocorruptevery
personhemeets,especiallythatofyoungmen,alongthewaybehindthatsickeningsweetcharm
ofhis.ThisisalsoasenseofforeshadowingthatDoriansetuponhimselfbecauseofthe
knowledgehekeptfromthepryingeyesofothers.
Amajorthemeofsecrecyreflectshowdeceptioncancausedestructionandharmontothe
innocenceofman.DorianGrayssinfulsecretseventuallyleadtohisowndownfallbecausehe
couldnolongerfacethetruththathispicturewasamirrorofhistrueform.
ThePictureof

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DorianGray
reflectstheothernovelschosenbecauseeachonespecifieshowthecharactersgo
abouttorefrainthesinsoftheirheartsfromlovedones,whichintheendisironicalsincesaid
lovedonesaroundthemarepulledintothedepthsofnoreturn.Theironyofsuchanovelisthe
factthatDorianGraysownsecretledtohisdeathintheend.Thestorytoldhowfaraman
wouldgototrytokeephissinshiddenfromtheworlduntilhisverylastbreathisgiven.
Inconclusion,secrecyisadangerousgamethatmankindcontinuestoplaywithuntil
someonegetshurtorworse.Humannaturetendstofallbackonholdingthetruthtothemselves
ratherthantalkingaboutitwithsomeone.Thefearofjudgementfromanotherpersoniswhat
holdssomeonefromtellinghowever,iftheydidtell,thenthereisthechancetheywouldn'twant
thesecretspilledtoanyotherpersonwhichcausesabiggerriftbetweenfriendsandlovedones.
Itislikethedominoeffect.Whenonepersonfallsintothedepthsofsinfulsecrets,oranyother
secretingeneral,everyonearoundthemendupbeingdraggedintoagiantmessthatwouldbe
hardtocomebackfrom.Itistruethatsomesecretsaremeanttobekept,however,themajority
ofthemarebetteroffbeingspilledthankepthiddenforsolongthatsomeoneiscorruptedboth
mentallyandphysically.Manypeopleandcharactersfalltoofarintothedarknessoftheirown
sinstocomebackfromit,whichiswhythemajorityofthetimetheymeettheirowndemise.
Secretsareriskyandconsideredtheflawsofhumannature.Overall,itisbettertocomeclean
earlyratherthanwaituntilmorepeopleenduphurtoritistoolatetocomebacktoreality.

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