The Minister's Black Veil
By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne, a romantic novelist of America, was born in a poor family. After he graduated from college, he started writing and worked on it over all his life. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales a collection of short stories and one of the tales was The Minister's Black Veil which was the most famous above all. But it was first published in the 1836 edition of The Token and Atlantic Souvenir, edited by Samuel Goodrich.
The story told that “another clergyman in New England, Mr. Joseph Moody, of York, Maine, who died about eighty years since, made himself remarkable by the same eccentricity that is here related of the Reverend Mr. Hooper. Mr. Hooper, a young Puritan clergyman, in early life had accidentally killed a beloved friend; and from that day till the hour of his own death, he hid face from men.”
Why did the young reverend wear black veil? Why not taking off the veil even he was blamed and commented by other peoples? Why did he still cover his face with black veil in his end time of life? The answer is obvious. And symbol had different imports. The black veil is a symbol of secret sin and darkness of human nature. After he killed the little girl, he wore the black veil to expiate his sin. He said a meaningful word: “Men sometimes are so”. Maybe it is the answer that when the reverend was dying, the doctor was the only person which is “the decorously grave, though unmoved physician ”. This was written dimly but the meaning is visible. However, the author indicated that “every face has a black veil” and “for the earth, too, had on her black veil”. Through wearing the veil, Mr. Hooper seemingly could declare the sin was in everyone’s heart and as a Puritan clergyman, he tried to set an example to expose the hideousness of his own and attached people’s attention to themselves’ hideousness. When the people felt that the clergyman wearing black veil was seemingly close to them secretly and talking about their minds and the hidden sins, the black veil played its own power. “With self-shuddering and outward terrors, he walked continually in its shadow, groping darkly within his own soul, or gazing through a medium that saddened the whole world.”
The second theme of the story was that readers are likely to recognize is the reaction of the townspeople to change, especially when a change is associated with their religion or religious figures. This is clearly not an accepting community and it is worth thinking critically about the way the whole community comes together to shun him. The veil makes the Reverend look dark and gloomy and instantly, even before one day is through the people in town are witnessing supernatural events.
Hooper’s veil, whatever its origin, also has the effect of emphasizing man’s lack of holiness and separation from God. This is the sort of emphasis that runs through all of Paul’s writings. In fact, this is the realization that emerges in Paul’s Damascus Road experience. Paul, convinced of his righteousness, travels toward Damascus in order to expose the failings of others. Upon encountering Christ on the road, Paul’s eyes are blinded—a sort of veiling—yet his self-perception is opened. He sees himself as a sinful man, hopeless but for the salvation offered through Christ Jesus. We only know these things, of course, because Paul has related them, either directly or by way of Luke. Recall that his fellow travelers could not hear distinct words during the event.
After I read this story and study it, in my point of view, the themes such as the hidden sins in one ’s heart and the unconcerned social relationship is also in our daily life. When beggars lying on
the road, no one cares them but some foreigners give them a hand. After we donate some money to the Red Cross, the report says the money we donate is corrupted by some officials. With regard to these actual incidents, we should reflect on ourselves. Why could a foreigner help our countryman but we ourselves would not to help them? Why previous efforts we made for the poor are wasted? It is all these incidents that we should think about. Maybe someone, like Mr. Hooper, should have appeared in our society to arouse people’s attention to their hideousness.