French designer Philippe Starck once claims: “I like to open the doors to people’s brain.” Nathaniel Hawthorne 's short story “The Minister’s Black Veil” reflects this principle in which the author advertently creates ambiguities and opens the possibilities of interpretation to the readers. Nathaniel Hawthorne employs commonplace symbols to present the ambiguity of sin and secrecy through a psychological lens in “The Minister’s Black Veil”. This short story also reflected the principle of Puritanism as well, such as the idea of manifest destiny represented by Mr. Hooper in the story. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. It is also worth to notice that John Hawthorne, one of the Salem Witch Trial Judges, was his great-grandfather (Concise Dictionary of American Literary Biography). Since Salem was his hometown, he developed his writing through the gospel of American Puritanism and intend to spread those principles through his literature which also gives the focus of his literature. Hawthorne’s writing style was unique and was well-regarded for several reasons. First of all, Hawthorne induces readers to use their own imagination to interpret the meaning of the tale, as it is evident in “The Minister’s Black Veil”. Moreover, he likes to present multi-fold and multi-perspective of a character. From those aspects, it is easy to conclude that Hawthorne is skeptical about facts, he leaves the reader with the choice to determine what is true what is not. In addition, Hawthorne is also skillful in using guilt to display characters and then examine the effect of the guilt, as evident in the hidden sin and potential guilt associated with Mr. …show more content…
Hooper in “The Minister’s Black Veil”. It is not until the very end of the story that Mr. Hooper states his reason for not taking down the veil even in the last few hours of his
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Show MoreMr. Hooper knew that his image is frightening to some and was fearful to find that same image looking back at him. This presence he now has attached to his being lasts for years up to and after his death, where the questions of why he wore the black veil are still asked and follow his
The Minister Black Veil Mr. Hooper put on the black veil, which changed his life until death. Although, the town knew him before the veil, their feeling changed drastically after the veil. It is human nature to judge one’s feelings by someone’s facial expressions and body language. Mr. Hooper was trying thorough symbolism to show that everyone has something to cover up. In the end, Mr. Hooper life was lonely and sacrificed, by choosing to wear the veil.
(Hawthorne 481). He is keeping the veil on him because taking off the veil off would be worse. He feels keeping the sin inside him will serve him better. In addition, the author explains, “no attempts were made to remove Mr. Hooper’s black
Hooper’s black veil could have symbolized adultery. In the story, the author mentions how in the wedding, the spirit of a maiden was seen walking “hand-in-hand” with Mr. Hooper. He could have had a relationship with this woman in the past. Since Mr. Hooper is seen as “pure” because he is a minister, he probably felt guilty because of a possible affair he could’ve had with this woman. Or he maybe had an affair with this woman while being with Elizabeth, his fiancee.
In The Minister’s Black Veil, the veil holds different meanings for the minister and for the people in his congregation. The congregation starts out confused about the meaning, and even though they get hints of the meaning over the years, they never understand it fully, and their obsessive fear of the minister continues even though he remains a good and harmless person. The minister seems to know what the symbolic meaning of the veil is, although he only reveals it slowly in bits and pieces until the climactic scene on his deathbed. He, too, views the veil with fear, because he sees it as a symbol of the secret sin in himself and everyone. In addition to the meaning the veil holds for the congregation and for the minister, it is important to consider the effect of the veil on the relationship between the two.
First off, Hooper is introduced to the readers as someone who is already wearing the veil, so the reader has no idea who he was before putting it on.
Hooper, “a gentlemanly person of about thirty, though still a with clerical neatness, as if a careful wife had starched his band and brushed the weekly dust from his Sunday's garb”. In this story, author describes characters very specifically so that it is easier for readers to know how they look like and their reaction about the situation. This help readers to get more focus into the story and ultimately, it add more calmness, darkness and mysteriousness of the story. “Its [the veil's] gloom, indeed, enabled him to sympathize with all dark affections. Dying sinners cried aloud for Mr. Hooper, and would not yield their breath till he appeared; though ever, as he stooped to whisper consolation, they shuddered at the veiled face so near their
Mr. Hooper was forcing all of the people to look deeper within themselves and try to understand the veils true meaning “Such was the effect of this simple piece of crape, that more than one woman of delicate nerves was forced to leave the meeting-house. Yet perhaps the pale-faced congregation was almost as fearful a sight to the minister, as his black veil to them.” (Hawthorne 707) In reality, the veil represents the secrets everyone is hiding within himself or herself. The theme of the veil is the conflict between the dark, hidden side of man.
This quote is from Mr. Hooper, and is saying that he will not take off his literal veil, until everyone else takes off their symbolic veil. The symbolic veil represents what people hide from from everyone else. When Mr. Hooper lay dying, Hawthorne wrote, “ ‘I look around me, and, lo! On every visage a black veil’ “ (Hawthorne XXX). This quote is even more
How willing are you to give up your whole life and reputation to help others by proving a point? In “The Minister 's Black Veil” Nathaniel Hawthorne writes about a minister named Mr. Hooper who changes his whole life to try to show the people in his congregation that they are living in sin and need to change their ways. The author Nathaniel Hawthorne was born around the time when Puritan life was the norm and everyone was a Puritan. Hawthorne also admired his ancestor’s ways and their lifestyles as much as he felt the need for people to have the freedom to strongly disagree about something (Grant). Grant says, “ It is this rich combination of his ancestral soil, a strong sense of the richness of the American past, and that moral quality” which
The Story Behind the Veil “The Minister’s Black Veil” is arguably one of the most famous short stories in the history of American Literature. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, is an extremely well known writer who is recognized for his many works. From The Scarlet Letter to The House of the Seven Gables, Hawthorne’s exceptional literary skills are portrayed in each and every one of his stories.
In Hawthorne’s short story, the minister walks out of the rectory one morning with a black veil covering his face. In this story, it is heavily debated what that black veil actually symbolizes. Could it be a symbol of sin and guilt, or is it rather a barrier between the minister and the rest of society? The story takes place in winter at Milford, Connecticut, where it focuses on Parson Hooper, the town’s minister.
Hooper was wearing the veil to make people that actually did sin feel better about themselves. He was looked at as an idol by everyone so why would he wear a veil for people who did wrong? Mr. Hooper did something someone of his position was sacred to do and he was scared for his fiancée and his church to find out. As a reverend he was not supposed to sin, and that is why everyone looked at him differently and judged him without knowing why he wore the veil. By wearing the veil, he had to commit another sin and lie to his fiancée about why he was wearing it and he broke their vows as a result.
Since Mr. Hooper will not break to these cries and pleas he is only separating himself from everyone else and society. Throughout the story “Minister’s Black Veil” Mr. Hooper sacrifices many thing by him wearing the black veil. As a result of Mr. Hooper’s actions he sacrifices his social life, he sacrifices his relationship with his wife Elizabeth, and he is separating himself from society by wearing the black
Mr.Hooper new that throughout his life of trying to get many people to understand why he did such thing like of the black veil. They would never understand why so and/or overpass through the negative reactions of the people towards him for wearing the