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Young Goodman Brown Vs Minister's Black Veil Essay

477 Words2 Pages

In both “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Hawthorne attempts to evoke the truth of the human heart. In “Young Goodman Brown”, Goodman Brown lives in Salem where everyone is considered to be pure and holy. During Brown’s journey to the forest, he runs into a man who is revealed to be the devil. “The devil!” Screamed the pious old lady. (Hawthorne 317) “...fixed upon as remarkable was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent.” (Hawthorne 316) The pious old woman continues to call the supposed devil “your worship”. Deacon Gookin and the minister are both travelling to the meeting in the woods. They are both men that …show more content…

Hooper is seen wearing a black veil. Day after day, Hooper continues to wear the veil and never takes it off. People begin to wonder why he wears it and make up a variety of different explanations. “Something must surely be amiss with Mr. Hooper’s intellects.” (Hawthorne 326) Another explanation is that Hooper did something so terrible, that he wears the veil to mask the volume of the awful act(s) he has committed. Hooper says something interesting towards the middle of the story in response to his girlfriend’s questions about the veil: “If I hid my face for sorrow, there is cause enough,” he merely replied; “and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?” (Hawthorne 329) This shows that Mr. Hooper is indeed hiding secret sin and something vastly influential enough to wear a black veil and never take it off. If the holy Parson Hooper has a great sin or a great many sins, then what chance does any other person have to be pure and a good Christian? Even the most righteous people can be full of sin. Both stories do an excellent job at evoking the truth of the human heart, and showing people that no mortal man or woman is without sin no matter the occupation or way of

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