Individualism In Scarlet Letter, The Devil And Tom Walker

Moreover, another characteristic of romanticism that connects to the three stories “The Scarlet Letter”, “The Minister’s Black Veil”, and “The Devil and Tom Walker” is individualism. Individualism is shown throughout these stories in different ways. In the story “The Scarlet Letter”, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows individuality in Hester. He showed Hester’s individualism by making her the only one to wear the scarlet letter “A” and also making her different from everyone else. Even though the letter symbolized adultery, Hester still wore the letter very proudly. "On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth surrounded with an elaborate gold thread, appeared the letter A." This shows how she is as an individual. Hester could’ve easily hidden her …show more content…
In this story Mr. Hooper, the town’s minister, wears a black veil over his face and never reveals the reason of the veil to anyone, not even his fiancée. Hawthorne portrays Mr. Hooper as an out casted individual. Sort of like Hester, Mr. Hooper has also committed a sin but no one knows. Instead of wearing a scarlet letter, Mr. Hooper puts on a black veil and never takes it off. Everyone treated him differently with the veil on. The Puritans murmured amongst each other about Mr. Hooper and the veil. “He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face” Coming after in the story we find out that the veil is actually a symbol. It symbolizes secret sin says Mr. Hooper. When his fiancée Elizabeth asks him about it Mr. Hooper states that everyone wears a black veil. “If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough...and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?" This is a perfect example of him showing his individualism. Everyone has a secret sin. It’s just that everyone’s veil is hidden just like their sin. Mr. Hooper shows his individualism by being the only one to reveal his sin through the black