Sin And Redemption In The Minister's Black Veil By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Sin and Redemption Sin is defined as a, “Transgression of divine law; especially a willful violation of religious or moral principle.’’(Dictionary.com) We are all sinners. Sin has been present from the beginning of time and will always exist. Although an individual may try hard not to commit sin, human faults and weaknesses will eventually lead all to sin at one time or another. Each generation has had different views on how sin should be recognized and punished. On might ask, is it right that a man stands in judgement of another when he too has sinned? True atonement from sin comes not from the laws and judgement from man, but only from the redeeming power of God. God is merciful and calls all to seek redemption from their sins. Those …show more content…
Hooper delivers a sermon addressing the secret sins that people hide. They hide these sins from those closest to them and even from their own conscience, forgetting that God sees and knows all. As he lay dying, Mr. Hooper teaches them all to, “Tremble also at each other…I look around me, and lo on every visage a black veil.” (Hawthorne.348). Through this statement, the minister teaches the people that they are all sinners and they each wear a black veil of sin and regret. A person cannot stand in judgement of another when he too wears the black veil of sin. Mr. Hooper was judged harshly because he chose to publicly display his black veil while the other members of the congregation worked to hide their veils of sin. Mr. Hooper’s example teaches the members about sin and helps them remember their need for the grace of a merciful God. Through this story Nathaniel Hawthorne reminds readers that one must be less concerned about how their sins may appear to others and seek only redemption from …show more content…
In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Edwards teaches that God is merciful and that he constantly restrains his hand in judgement against man. The townspeople in Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” show us that man is not fit to judge another as his fear or anger may be used as a weapon against his enemy. God’s fear is unbiased and is never based on fear or mistrust. Mr. Hooper in “The Minister’s Black Veil” reminds the reader that we are all sinners and that we each wear the black veil of sin. Finally, in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book “The Scarlet Letter” we see that Hester Prynne seeks forgiveness from God, but cannot be forgiven by those in her community. Supported by these literary works, we see that man is unable to fairly judge another as he too is a sinner. True redemption comes only from a merciful