Sacrifice In Hawthorne's Black Veil

Reverend Hooper shows his determination by wearing the black veil all the time up until his death, even sacrificing personal relationships. Hawthorne deliberately leaves the most obvious question unanswered.The first instance in which Hooper is extracting a personal sacrifice upon himself is that he wears the mysterious black veil as he conceals his secret from Elizabeth whom he is engaged to be married. As Hooper has no intention of telling Elizabeth the truth assuming that he even knows the truth himself. The only person who asks him directly why he insists on wearing the veil is Elizabeth, who felt she had a right to know his secret.
“Have patience with me Elizabeth!” cried he, passionately. “Do not desert me through this veil must be between us …show more content…
Hooper’s explanation for his wearing the veil is at once noble. Hooper is willing to risk his position as Reverend in the town because of his conviction of a secret sin. Elizabeth beings to fear that his black veils symbolize the sin in all human beings. Elizabeth loses a relationship with with the person she loves, only to gain a different relationship with him later. (Deines) He knows the veil is going to endure him to a life of loneliness and suffering. Hooper is much too preoccupied with the message of the veil whether he is saved or damned for he loses a chance for love and marriage. He gives up all things and forcefully sacrifices himself for those who love them to teach them of hidden sins and that one can escape it.
“But the veil exposes more than Hooper lets on. Instead of seeing Hooper’s donning of the veil as an ethical move that causes his congregation to be better people by inspiring them to take note of, and perhaps even reveal their hidden sins, the wearing of the veil can be seen as an ethical move in which Hooper takes on the sins of the entire community.”