Puritan Symbolism In The Minister's Black Veil

The Puritans were strict Calvinists, followers of the reformer John Calvin. John Calvin taught that God was all-powerful and focused on God’s sovereignty, supreme power or authority. Puritans also believed that because of Adam and Eve’s sin of disobedience, most of humanity would be damned for all eternity. They also gathered that God had chosen a few people, "the elect," for salvation. Some knew they were saved if they testified their personal experience of God in the form of autobiographical conversion narratives. However most did not know if they were saved or not, so Puritans lived in a constant state of spiritual anxiety.

The Minister’s Black Veil is a story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It tells the story of a minister named Parson Hooper. He shows up to church on the Sabbath with a black veil covering his eyes. The townspeople begin to spread rumors about Mr. Hooper. They assume he is wearing the black veil due to sorrow or a secret sin. Hooper tells his girlfriend that the veil is for neither of those reasons; the veil must never come off, not even for her. Hooper continues to do what he always does, such as: preach sermons, greet the children, and chat with the neighbors. The veil gets Hooper some weird looks and the people that once adored him, now avoid him. The only thing seen under the veil is a sad smile that creeps its way in.

“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 his short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Nathaniel Hawthorne uses irony, symbolism, and stereotypical Puritan beliefs and behavior to expose humanity’s hypocrisy in an effort to create change.

“The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is full of many different symbols, but the most notable one is the veil itself. Throughout the story, Hawthorne presents many instances where the veil could mean several things. Some may see only one meaning, however, others may see a number of them. Hawthorne may have been the only one who truly knew what the veil symbolized, but at the same time the fact that the story makes the reader think even after reading it is what makes it all the more interesting to analyze. The veil itself could symbolize things such as rebirth, secrecy, ambiguity.

Hawthorne’s short story pushes the theme that “Everyone has a black veil and hides who they really are” through dialogue and character’s action. This means every person either hides their unpopular opinions/beliefs or is hiding a secret sin. Dialogue evidence can be found in a conversation between Mr. Hooper and Elizabeth, and what is said at Mr. Hooper’s death bed. Evidence from character actions is seen in how Elizabeth hides her love from Mr. Hooper, and how the whole town treats him with his black veil on.

In the story “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the reader can infer that Mr. Hooper teaches his community the lesson that everyone wears a black veil and has secret sins that are hidden from others. The author states that “if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?” In addition, Mr. Hooper wearing the black veil puzzles his community. The reason for that is that a priest does not wear a black veil and preaches in front of everyone in an act of betrayal of the belief in Jesus. Also, Mr. Hooper tells Elizabeth that everyone hides their sin; in a way of saying that if someone else that believes in God can do it why can't Mr. Hooper can not be able to. The word “cover” can be as in the

“Love, whether newly born or aroused from a deathlike slumber, must always create sunshine, filling the heart so full of radiance, that it overflows upon the outward world.” That is a quote the novel, The Scarlet Letter, a novel written during the Romanticism era of literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne is the author of The Scarlet Letter and the Minister’s Black Veil. The Scarlet Letter takes place in the 1600s in the Puritan town of Boston. Hester Prynne is the main character, and the subject of humiliation after she is caught committing adultery and gives birth to a child, Pearl.

Puritan literature largely consists of poems, sermons, and personal journals and served a purpose such as to teach or inform instead of entertaining. The Puritans generally valued religion and simplicity in their society and thusly much of their lives focused on just that. I felt that Nathaniel Hawthorne’s account of puritan society through his story The Minister’s Black Veil differed from that of original puritan literature. While puritan literature was nonfictional and centers on enlightenment and religion in their daily life, Hawthorne wrote a fictional account to describe the puritan values. Because of this difference I feel that original puritan literature is far more accurate portrayal of puritan culture.This is because puritan literature

“Thus from beneath the black veil, there rolled a cloud into the sunshine, an ambiguity of sin or sorrow, which enveloped the poor minister, so that love or sympathy could never reach him.” (Hawthorne). In the Minister’s Black Veil, Nathaniel Hawthorne evokes the idea there is a dark side of humanity and that humans have secrets and sins hidden away from their nearest and dearest. In the parable, Hawthorne emphasizes the idea of personal sacrifices must be made during one’s lifetime for those you love even if it meant giving up one’s source of happiness. In Milford, a small Puritan town men, women, and children are fancying another Sunday. The peace is interrupted on the Sabbath day when Reverend Hooper, Minister of the Puritan Community appears

We all have a symbol in our life, whether to represent who we are, or what we believe in, what would your symbol be? In the parable “The Minister’s Black Veil” it talks about a minister named Mr. Hooper that one day decided to wear a black veil. He says that we all have a mask on our faces to hide all of the sins we have done. So, Mr. Hooper’s symbol is a black veil, and depends on the person to decide how they are going to react to it.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's, " The Ministers Black Veil", is regarded to one of the first and greatest examples of American Short Fiction. Like many of Hawthorne's novels and stories the story is developed around a single around a single symbol; in this case, the black veil. There are ambiguous ways of explaining why Mr. Hooper wears the black veil?

In "The Ministers Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne "The reason that it is difficult for the congregation and even his fiancée to look upon him is that they only see the veil. "The minister is hiding his face because he is afraid that what he is hiding will show to the people of the church and his fiancée. Mr. Hooper is wearing the veil because he committed a sin; and is hiding it from the town and his church

The main character in “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Mr. Hooper represents how everyone carries a sin with them but some choose to acknowledge it, while others choose to hide them.

Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most studied and influential writers in history. His many works use symbolism and allegory to portray their purpose, filling them with deep meaning and offering a wide variety of interpretation. Hawthorne was not particularly proud of his family history; he disagreed with some of his ancestors positions in the salem witch trials. He distanced himself with that part of his family and added a “w” to his name to further do so. Hawthorne was born in Salem Massachusetts, which gave him a prevalent theme of puritanism in many of his stories. (Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography). One such story, The Minister’s Black Veil, captures Hawthorne´s unique style and background.

“ We magnify the flaws in others that we secretly see in ourselves” -Baylor Barbee. In “ The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character Reverend Hooper is alienated by his community because he is the wearer of a mysterious black veil. Reverend Hooper is the reverend of his community’s church and has always been well respected by his surrounding peers. One day, Hooper shows up to his church and preaches the sermon wearing a mysterious black veil causing his peers to alienate him. Throughout the story, Hooper’s actions portray just how judgmental our society really is. In the “Minister’s Black Veil”, Hawthorne displays Hooper and the symbol of the veil as a representation of how judgmental society can become when faced with situations they don’t understand even though they have no right to judge.