Alienation for the minister begins with his fiancee Elizabeth. It starts when the minister refuses to show his face, or share any feelings with her. Hawthorne wrote, “there is nothing terrible in this piece of crape, except that it hides a face which I am always glad to look upon”(5). At this point the Elizabeth feels cut off from the minister. She feels this way because he is keeping all of his personal feeling to himself, and will not let her see his face anymore. Elizabeth begins to question if the minister has done something wrong. As Boone, N.S. has noted “Elizabeth was right, that the community comes to believe Hooper is somehow guilty of a dark sin is evidenced by the young Reverend Clark's”(34). Now that Elizabeth thinks he has done something wrong she begins asking him questions. Of course this gets nowhere due to him not answering any of the questions. Even though the minister is in love with Elizabeth he still will not take off his veil, proving that something is wrong with him. This is not fair to her because even though he is the one who has done something wrong she is getting punished for it.
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Hawthorne addressed “he never willingly passed before a mirror, nor stooped to drink at a still fountain, lest in its peaceful bosom, he should be affrighted by himself”(6). The minister will no longer see himself as the man he was before. Not passing in front of a mirror shows that he has done something that he greatly regrets, and knows it cannot be forgiven. Boone, N.S. wrote “He cannot stand to see a reflection of himself, which intimates that he is not at home within himself as a substitution for others”(1). When Boone says this is proves that the minister is hiding a deep secret. The minister is seen walking with a “ghost” during a funeral walk for a young woman who was murdered in the community, possibly having something to do with the beginning of his
Hawthorne addressed “he never willingly passed before a mirror, nor stooped to drink at a still fountain, lest in its peaceful bosom, he should be affrighted by himself”(6). The minister will no longer see himself as the man he was before. Not passing in front of a mirror shows that he has done something that he greatly regrets, and knows it cannot be forgiven. Boone, N.S. wrote “He cannot stand to see a reflection of himself, which intimates that he is not at home within himself as a substitution for others”(1). When Boone says this is proves that the minister is hiding a deep secret. The minister is seen walking with a “ghost” during a funeral walk for a young woman who was murdered in the community, possibly having something to do with the beginning of his