ipl-logo

Comparing Darkness In 'Masque Of The Red Death And Minister'

735 Words3 Pages

Lightness and darkness is a common theme throughout literature, most writers utilize this style of writing through symbols. Writers use this technique to add interest to their pieces and give the story more depth in its meaning. Poe and Hawthorne implement this literary devices into their stories, which helps to create an engaging story. In Poe’s story “Masque of the Red Death” and Hawthorne’s story “Minister’s Black Veil” both portray themes of lightness and darkness using symbolism throughout. Uses of light symbolism in stories are typically used to depict signs of pureness and life. Poe utilizes this literary element in his description of the rooms. When Poe describes the first of the seven rooms he says “ at the eastern extremity …show more content…

Parson Hooper is a priest, which is a occupation that holds a connection between life and the Holy Spirit. Hooper’s is a religious man who devotes his life to God, and God is often depicted as lightness in literature. Therefore, Hooper is the parallel between the darkness and the lightness that is shown throughout. Hawthorne also depicts lightness in the form of actual light, such as candles and the sunlight. When Hooper is performing a funeral ceremony Hawthorne writes how “the lights dimmed of the candles dimmed.” This quote shows how the light disappears when the darkness, the veil, is near. Lightness is always being challenged by darkness in …show more content…

Parson Hooper, the priest, has decided to cloak his face with a black veil, in order to shame himself of his sin. The people of the town said it gave “a darkened aspect to all living and inanimate things” (Hawthorne). This shows how the veil makes the people feel uncomfortable. When Hooper was reading a passage of God’s word the people said “it threw its obscurity between him and the holy page” (Hawthorne). In anything Hooper did it seemed to make the townspeople feel uneasy and eerie because of the veils presence. Hooper’s veil is feared throughout the townspeople because it is meant to represent the conviction of sins and subconsciously they recognize their own fears and

Show More
Related
602 Words | 3 Pages

In the story “The minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne Mr.Hooper is judge by everybody when he shows up with the black veil for the first time. Nobody expected him to wear a black veil that cover half of his face. There are times when wearing a black

Read More
279 Words | 2 Pages

In “The Minister’s Black Veil”, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the minister, Mr. Hooper wear a black veil which affects his relationship with his community negatively because the people distanced themselves and isolated Mr. Hooper. For example, Elizabeth, Mr. Hooper’s fiancee distances herself from Mr. Hooper. Hawthorne writes, “Then, farewell!” said Elizabeth. She withdrew her arm from his grasp and slowly departed...”. Elizabeth is heading out upset when Mr. Hooper says to her, “Oh!

Read More
808 Words | 4 Pages

Austin Scott Mrs. Spampinato English III – Period 8 8 December 2014 The Power of a Black Veil Mr. Hooper enters the church wearing a black veil covering his face. The town’s people are unsure and freaked out by Mr. Hooper. He’s trying to hide something within himself and only himself. While wearing the veil he keeps to himself most of the time and avoids contact with others.

Read More
1165 Words | 5 Pages

Hawthorne, influenced by his Puritan ancestors, criticize Puritanism by the use of symbols and parables. The veil worn by Reverend Hooper in “The Minister’s Black Veil” separates him from society, and from God. Whether this separation is voluntary or imposed depends on how one looks at the situation. Voluntary, Reverend Hooper knows that his wearing the veil will cause people to avoid him, and yet he wears in anyway. It is apparent in that Revered Hooper would really prefer to be treated normally by his neighbors and parishioners.

Read More
477 Words | 2 Pages

Another explanation is that Hooper did something so terrible, that he wears the veil to mask the volume of the awful act(s) he has committed. Hooper says something interesting towards the middle of the story in response to his girlfriend’s questions about the veil: “If I hid my face for sorrow, there is cause enough,” he merely replied; “and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?” (Hawthorne 329) This shows that Mr. Hooper is indeed hiding secret sin and something vastly influential enough to wear a black veil and never take it off. If the holy Parson Hooper has a great sin or a great many sins, then what chance does any other person have to be pure and a good Christian?

Read More
641 Words | 3 Pages

Poems like "The Raven" serve as great references to find emotions that the author may have not been able to express as intensely if it was not for symbolism. Symbolism is more popularly used to portray more harsh, or intense feelings. In "The Minister's Black Veil" the minister's feelings of guilt and sinfulness are expressed through the dark and mysterious veil ("SchoolWorkHelper"). Nathaniel Hawthorne put the wedding and funeral in the story to symbolize the circle of life and death (Lorcher). Continuing with the idea of symbolism in the wedding and funeral, the minister and his black veil creates a sense of evil at both events and reminds the reader that evil presences can be anywhere (Lorcher).

Read More
646 Words | 3 Pages

He says, “[He looks]around [him] and lo! on every visage a black veil” (Hawthorne 307). This was Hooper’s legacy, to prove that even though they do not wear a black veil, everyone has done evils of the darkest nature, known only by God and themselves. The symbol of his veil is the focal point of the theme and plays a part in contributing to the Puritan setting. Through the use of symbols, Hawthorne exhibits the Puritan attitude toward change in his story.

Read More
1182 Words | 5 Pages

Initially in the story, Mr. Hooper (Who is the Minister of a Church) became an odd character which came to question the people because he began to wear a black veil over himself and knowing that he represents the church, the attention stood at a shock towards the people. To certain individuals, it appeared more odd towards them such as a woman who said “He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face.” Although this seemed as such a difference to the people, Mr. Hooper did not seem to see what his people had seen him. As if he was blinded to what he had done himself. His attitude was not changed, After all he was known as a good preacher but not an energetic one.

Read More
1178 Words | 5 Pages

Time can cause literary elements to evolve from lessons of past eras, creating a sense of similarity. This similarity is present in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil” and James Thruber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” although written a hundred and seven years apart. Hawthorne was a significant catalyst in the Gothic era, best known for cautionary tales about inherent human qualities. Thurber was an important individual in the Modernism era, best known for his use of humor in short stories. Throughout the Gothic and Modernism era pieces, unique similarities can be found through the concealment of characters, symbolism, and ambiguity.

Read More
522 Words | 3 Pages

Hooper wearing the veil this makes everyone consider him an outcast to society. Before the service and old woman said “I don’t like it” and she hobbled into the meeting-house”(Hawthorne 1). As a result of Hooper wearing the veil he makes this old lady avoid his service because she is scared of him. At the close of the service many people went straight home by themselves and the other huddled in small groups and ignored Mr. Hooper and instead talked about him. Nothing, not the pleas of the elders, nor the nudging of Elizabeth , nor his own loneliness can persuade Hooper to remove the piece of black crape that separates him so dramatically from society (Boone).

Read More
544 Words | 3 Pages

No matter how hard one tries, one will always carry darkness. This statement is clear in Nathaniel Hawthorne's ‘The Minister’s Black Veil’ many times. The first time I felt as if it was clear is when Hooper says to Elizabeth, “Do not desert ment, though this weil must be between use here on earth. Be mine, and hereafter there shall be no veil over my face, no darkness between our souls!” Though it is clear one will always have darkness in their souls, people still believe things can be pure.

Read More
835 Words | 4 Pages

In the story, “The Minister's Black Veil” Hawthorne states, “how strange,’ said a lady ‘that a simple black veil, such as women might wear on her bonnet, should become such a terrible thing on Mr.Hooper's face!” A lady was talking about how people are overreacting about the veil on Hooper’s face and how if a lady wore one no one would think anything of it. In the story, Hooper states, “loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a black veil!”

Read More
792 Words | 4 Pages

Summary Response Paper #1 In “Poor Shaming-But This Time in the School Cafeteria”, author Shayna Cook introduces the idea of inequality in the lunchroom. The term Lunch Shaming is defined as “...a general term referring to when a student is singled out and embarrassed or ashamed due to them or their parents not being able to pay for school lunches, or if they have any unpaid lunch debt.” This idea is becoming very familiar to students in New Mexico schools, although it is not limited to just them. The article can show the raw realities of what everyday children are facing trying to obtain a school lunch and the movement to fix it.

Read More
993 Words | 4 Pages

In the “Minister’s Black Veil”, Hawthorne displays Hooper and the symbol of the veil as a representation of how judgmental society can become when faced with situations they don’t understand even though they have no right to judge. The “Minister’s Black Veil” was written as a parable in order to teach us a moral lesson stating that you should never judge someone. In Paul J. Emmett’s literary criticism he tells of a point in the story when Hooper explains his reasoning for wearing the veil, Emmett says, “After exhausting life in his efforts for mankind’s spiritual good, he had made the manner of his death a parable, in order to impress on his admirers the mighty and mournful lesson, that, in the view of infinite purity, we

Read More
923 Words | 4 Pages

Innocence is one of the most characteristic attributes of young children. When this is taken away from a child in quick succession, this is called loss of innocence. At the beginning of Persepolis, Marjane is a young child, easily impressionable, and innocent. However, as the book continues, she idolizes her ambition to become a rebellious child. The events happening at the time were also heightening her loss of innocence, with wars and difficult situations being plentiful.

Read More

More about Comparing Darkness In 'Masque Of The Red Death And Minister'

Related Topics

Open Document