The Minister's Black Veil Essay

In reality, everyone does something they wish they never did. There will always be a feeling of regret in those who made a mistake. Whether one accepts it or not, sinning is apart of human nature. It is something that one cannot control. An individual may seem like the most angelic person in the world, but deep down inside, everyone has a sin that is never exposed to society. This statement is clearly shown in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil”. Parson Hooper, the minister of the town of Milford, also the main character of the story, was a very famous and venerable preacher who always delivered meaningful and inspirational sermons. The Puritan society always looked up to him as a “godly-like” figure who was always dressed neatly and never disappointed anyone. However, one day, Hooper suddenly showed up to give a sermon with a black veil covering his face. Many were wondering why he was hiding his face from the crowd, and whenever he was asked to take it off, he would refuse. In “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author uses moments from the Sunday service and the death scene of Parson Hooper to demonstrate how the black veil represents the secrecy of severe sins, which one conceals from society. …show more content…
Although we was continuously judged for his appearance throughout the story, he chose to keep his veil on. In the short story, the idea of him sinning was sort of a reality check for him, meaning that God is always watching everything one does and an individual can never get away with anything. Humans, not just back in the Puritan society, but the present days, never keep this thought in their mind that with every bad mistake comes a consequence. The Minister’s Black Veil shows how committing a sin can enormously affect an individual, thus giving the message that one should be open with their sin rather than hiding the feeling of regret that’s eating them