Isolation In The Minister's Black Veil By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" embodies the hidden sins that we all hide and that in turn distance us from the ones we love most. Reverend Hooper dons a black veil throughout this story, and never takes it off. He has discerned in everyone a dark, hidden self of secret sin. In wearing the veil Hooper dramatizes the isolation that each person experiences when they are chained down by their own sinful deeds. He has realizes that symbolically everyone can be found in the shadow of their own dark veil. Hooper in wearing this shroud across his face is only amplifying the dark side of people and the truth of human existence and nature.

Whatever his reason for his odd clothing, Reverend Hooper's veil caused more than a physical separation from the people of his town. The people felt the veil was "the symbol of a fearful secret between him and them" (Hawthorne 256). Their fear and confusion of the minister's motives caused strange behavior and unnatural withdrawal from their spiritual leader.

In The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author seeks to convey that although all individuals are sinners, members of society will condemn those who seek to confront their own faults. This conclusion was drawn from the many motifs which relate to Puritan society, particularly the superstitions and Christian ideologies of many New Englanders during the 18th century. In this tale, Mr. Hooper’s donning of the black veil is viewed as a change which alters his countenance indefinitely; from the moment it is introduced, those who view it are awestruck. The mere sight of Mr. Hooper even acts as a “signal for the bell to cease its summons”. As murmurs spread throughout the congregation, Mr. Hooper preaches of “secret sin, and those

In Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Mr. Hooper loses human connection after he bounds himself to wear the black veil as a representation of human nature to hide sinful actions. Mr. Hooper’s refusal to remove the black veil causes the townspeople to distance themselves from him because they found his behavior odd and unnatural, including his fiancee. During Mr. Hooper and his fiancee’s argument, she continually presses him for a reason for wearing

Mr. Hooper has an effect on people by wearing the veil and he uses it to express his original purpose. Everyone on Earth has sinned, “for the Earth, too, had on her Black Veil.” This shows that Mr. Hooper believed that sin is a part of nature and it is a natural thing to be sinners. Even Earth, His own creation, is hiding her secret under a black veil. Hawthorne says this to show Mr. Hooper’s point that people have an inborn sinful nature and it is not always represented by literally wearing a black veil. In other words, he says that even people who do not wear a black veil equally have secret sins, “If I hide my face for sorrow, there is a cause enough…and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?” People hide their real self to prevent being criticized by society and because they are ashamed of what they have done. He pays a high price in the attempt of teaching society the nature of sins. The people who used to admire him are now afraid and confused so he is forced to live a lonely live. Following this further, he influences people to believe the moral lesson behind his decision of wearing the veil. He wants people to

Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes the color of the veil, Mr Hooper’s speech to the townspeople, and the contrast of the bad veil in good events to once again showcase his views on the everlasting effect of guilt and sin. While it may be a harsh concept to comprehend, when one comes to terms with this, it leaves a feeling of ease. Once one knows that there is no time of the day where they can be freed of the feeling of guilt is when they can truly love themselves. Remember that sin is like a convenience store, it is open 24/7, and everyone has to take a trip there once in awhile, so there is no reason to be

In reality the veil represents the secrets everyone is hiding within themselves. The unifying theme is the conflict between the dark, hidden side of man and the standards imposed by his puritanical heritage. Hawthorne brings evil and unauthorized desire into the way of puritan life, and in so doing suggests a insightful truth that is disturbing in its implication, that is to say that we can never hope to know each other's true selves. The themes in the story are suggested by the veil-symbol, the tension between the minister and the community. Every person has something to hide from the world. The veil is symbolic for the cover up of peoples secrets. Although most people would not wear a veil, the minister is proving a point. By wearing a simple black veil Mr. Hooper is making all the villagers evaluate their everyday actions in life. The symbolic value of the black veil lies in the physical and mental dilemma that it creates between the minister and his environment, and the guilt it conveys. Many people believe that the face provides information about a person's primary characteristics, therefore, predicting a persons possible behavior. As a result, by

The townspeople in “The Minister’s Black Veil” represent negative judgement and discrimination against Mr. Hooper and veil he wore across his face. “At that instant, catching a glimpse of his figure in the looking-glass, the black veil involved his own spirit in the horror with which it overwhelmed all others.” Mr. Hooper wore the wretched black veil as an act of teaching the delinquent townspeople to look onto others as your own person and to not judge as God would. The black veil stood as a mirror to reflect the very souls of the good townspeople, and for Hawthorne, a message that even in today’s society there is judgement. As Reverend Hooper himself might say, judging a person does not define who they are… it defines who you

The story “The Minister’s Black Veil” is symbolic of the hidden sins that we hide and separate ourselves from the ones we love most. In wearing the veil Hooper presents the isolation that everybody experiences when they are chained down by their own sins. He has realized that everybody symbolically can be found in the shadow of their own veil. By Hooper wearing this shroud across his face is only showing the dark side of people and the truth of human existence and nature.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil," Mr. Hooper, a Reverend in the town of Milford, surprises his parishioners by donning a conspicuous black veil one Sunday. The town is visibly spooked, yet still curious, about his eerie appearance and profoundly affected by his sermon on secret sin. "A subtle power was breathed into his words. 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" (2432). The parishioner's expect that Hooper will only don the veil for one day and then remove it, having used the visage to make his point on secret sin, but they are taken aback to

Nathaniel Hawthorne developed his theme and style in the text “The Minister’s Black Veil” better than Jonathan Edwards did in the text “sinners in the hands of an angry God.” The theme in Hawthorne’s text is don’t judge a person based on how they look; his style of writing was very gloomy and sad. Edwards theme of his text is the people must repent for their sinful ways or be dammed to hell; his style of writing is very serious and angry. The two texts themes are similar and different.

I do not want to bother you, for I know that you are always very busy. I am although, very concerned with the situation dealing with Mrs.Hester Prynne, and her young daughter Pearl. A child needs to grow up learning to communicate with others, and making many friends. A life of isolation is not suitable for a child. If Hester was to become ill or injured who would take care of Pearl? Lastly, how do we know if Pearl is being brought up right? Obviously Mrs.Prynne does not have the same morals as we do.

In a small puritan church in an isolated town in Massachusetts. A group of church people wait in silence for their minister to walk in. The entrance doors open and a man with a black veil walks down the aisle while the church people watch him in disbelief because it is he who is the man who is supposed to preach to them. Reverend Hooper, once a loved and respected man, leaves his people in confusion after a sunday wearing a black veil. Unfortunately, the community of Milford is beginning to underlook Mr.Hooper and begin to separate themselves from him.

The short story “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne follows the minister Mr. Hooper whose simple change in appearance alters the very nature of his existence in society till his death. While his decision to begin to wear a black veil over his face ostracizes him from society, it also turns him into a more influential clergyman. With the symbolism of the black veil and in a somber tone, Hawthorne makes a statement on the involvement of society in personal matters and the “black veil” that is present over the heart of every man, making the point that everyone is guilty of being sinful.

The black veil brings up confusion and interest to the Puritan society because everyone has a different view as to why Mr. Hooper is walking around with his face covered with a veil. To the townspeople, Hooper’s veil is a clear sign that he is trying to atone for a grave sin. “There was but one thing remarkable about his appearance. Swathed about his forehead, and hanging down over his face so low as to be shaken by his breath, Mr. Hooper had on a black veil. On a nearer view it seemed to consist of two folds of crape, which entirely concealed his features, except the mouth and chin, but probably did not intercept his sight, further than to give a darkened aspect to all living and inanimate things” (Hawthorne 369). Although Hooper identifies the veil in a different manner, the townspeople use the veil to focus exclusively on Hooper’s sinfulness because, deep