According to James Baldwin, if people were to "guard" and "keep" themselves from society, they are trying to portray an "identity" of which they only assume themselves to be. This can be true in many cases of today's civilization. With identity theft at an all time high, a person could pretend to be someone they're not, and maybe even begin to believe that they are that person. So who can blame a person for wanting to keep to themselves and be on guard of those criminals out there. There are many examples of how guarding an identity and keeping secrets are a way to keep your own system of reality.

To guard an identity is as effective as putting a lock on a glass house. Eventually, someone will be let in on the truth. In The Scarlet Letter, Roger Chillingsworth (Hester's husband from Europe) is not whom he...