The Black Veil Analysis

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The meaning of the mysterious Black Veil from Hawthorne’s short story has been long disputed, but what does it actually mean? Hawthorne was a writer that lived and wrote during the romantic period., Hawthorne dealt with sin and how it affects us negatively. One of his more famous short stories Minister of the Black Veil also deals with sin. Hawthorne’s short story proves that the veil is a device that the minister uses to dramatize that everyone has a secret sin and, therefore should not judge others when analyzing the Minister and the town’s people you can see this.

Hawthorne shows that the veil is a device used by the Minister to teach his flock that everyone has sin and you should not judge others by showing how the Minister feels about the veil. “...Know, then this veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes,
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I wonder he is not afraid to be alone with himself!” (475) The town’s people are afraid of the Minister just because of his looks, just like they would if they knew someone’s sin. They judge him for his looks or sin instead of who he truly is. “He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face.” (472) Again the townspeople judge him for no particular reason except for his veil, just like one would judge someone for no reason except their sin, even though they themselves have sin. Another important aspect of why the veil is a symbol for sin is that Hawthorne loves to use symbolism in his books. It makes the most sense when looking at how Hawthorne rights that the veil is a symbol. In conclusion, I believe that Hawthorne uses the veil as a device that shows that we all have sin and that we should not judge others for said sin, and that this was the Minister’s plan from the

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