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Sin In The Minister's Black Veil

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The Minister's Black Veil is a parable with a religious lesson. A parable like this has multiple levels of meanings and interpretations. "The Minister's Black Veil" is an interesting story that explores the idea of having a secret sin.
This short story has multiple American Romanticism characteristics. This story has a protagonist who wants to break free, this is a common characteristic of Romantic stories. Other characteristics include having a character going against the establishment which can be clearly seen by how Mr. Hooper was made an outcast and harassed by his people. For example, In the story when the narrator says " Old Squire Saunders, doubtless by an accidental lapse of memory, neglected to invite Mr.Hooper to his table..."(Hawthorn 5). This demonstrates how Mr. Hooper is an outcast because he is wearing a black veil. He struggled with his secret sin and was alone most of his life due to everyone being against his beliefs . Furthermore, the death of Mr. Hooper shows an additional characteristic of American Romanticism. In Romantic stories protagonist has stretched and exaggerated deaths. This is clearly seen …show more content…

Just like how there are different levels of interpretations of the story there are also different perceptions of what the black veil symbolizes. The black veil may symbolize Mr.Hopper's specific secret sin. Subsequently, the black veil could symbolize the concept of the secret sins that we carry in our heart. Then again, the black veil can represent secret sin and the darkness of humanity . All this can be seen when in the story, it says "The subject had reference to secret sin,.." (Hawthorne 3) and "Each member of the congregation, the most innocent girl, and the man of hardened breast, felt as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought" (Hawthorne 4). This shows that secret sin is connected to the symbolism of the black

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