The veil of guilt
Hawthorne’s story “The Minister’s Black Veil” symbolizes guilt. Everyone sins, therefore they have guilt. Some people do not feel guilty for their sin, unlike the Minister, he took it past “normal”. It showed physically rather than emotionally like most people. Hooper also felt it emotionally he has seen it on his face every time he looked into a mirror, Hooper would shudder when he has seen his reflection. So the people weren’t the only ones that thought that the black veil was hideous. A black veil is usually only worn during a time of sadness or grieving. It's mostly seen at funerals. Hooper used it in a totally different way. He used it as a “cover up” for his guilt. Hooper’s veil symbolizes the guilt of his sin; furthermore, Hooper realizes that everyone is guilty of sin, so everyone wears a black veil. Everyone has guilt believe it or not, just not everyone shows it physically as the Minister states, “‘If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough’ he merely replied ‘and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might now do the same?’” (245). Everyone hides their guilt of sin one way or another it's just not always the same way. One reason the minister wore the veil is to hide the guilt for cheating on his fiancee: “To withdraw …show more content…
Some people were quick to judge the first time someone seen him in the veil a older woman said: “He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face.”(240). Hawthorne wrote that, “Mr. Hooper had the reputation of a good preacher, but not a energetic one: he strove to win his people heavenward by mild. persuasive influences, rather than to drive them thither by the thunders of the word.The sermon which he now delivered, was marked by the same characteristics of style and manner, as the general series of his pulpit oratory ”(240). They turned him around just by his
Hawthorne’s story “The Minister’s Black Veil” symbolizes guilt. Everyone sins, therefore they have guilt. Some people do not feel guilty for their sin, unlike the Minister, he took it past “normal”. It showed physically rather than emotionally like most people. Hooper also felt it emotionally he has seen it on his face every time he looked into a mirror, Hooper would shudder when he has seen his reflection. So the people weren’t the only ones that thought that the black veil was hideous. A black veil is usually only worn during a time of sadness or grieving. It's mostly seen at funerals. Hooper used it in a totally different way. He used it as a “cover up” for his guilt. Hooper’s veil symbolizes the guilt of his sin; furthermore, Hooper realizes that everyone is guilty of sin, so everyone wears a black veil. Everyone has guilt believe it or not, just not everyone shows it physically as the Minister states, “‘If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough’ he merely replied ‘and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might now do the same?’” (245). Everyone hides their guilt of sin one way or another it's just not always the same way. One reason the minister wore the veil is to hide the guilt for cheating on his fiancee: “To withdraw …show more content…
Some people were quick to judge the first time someone seen him in the veil a older woman said: “He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face.”(240). Hawthorne wrote that, “Mr. Hooper had the reputation of a good preacher, but not a energetic one: he strove to win his people heavenward by mild. persuasive influences, rather than to drive them thither by the thunders of the word.The sermon which he now delivered, was marked by the same characteristics of style and manner, as the general series of his pulpit oratory ”(240). They turned him around just by his