Sacrifice In The Minister's Black Veil

Sacrifice-an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy. Everyone will eventually sacrifice something, some more than others, yet those sacrifices will often lead to achievement. In the short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrates how heartbreaking details, emotional imagery, and sorrowful symbolism demonstrate sacrifice and gain. Hawthorne’s use of heartbreaking details shows how love is sometimes sacrificed for the teaching of a lesson, only to be regretted in the end. Hooper’s love, Elizabeth, “ loses a certain relationship with the person she loves, only to gain a different relationship with him later.” (Boone) Unfortunately what Elizabeth does not understand is that “even should Hooper remove his veil, she would be no closer to the truth of being, his or any other.” (Boone). Elizabeth’s attitude toward the situation

The dawning of the veil by the Reverend causes his congregation to be disgruntled and confused. Interestingly enough the congregation is focused on his veil the whole time rather than “Hooper[‘s]...[discovery of] what ‘the Omniscient’ always already knows!” (Deines). Rather than looking into their own hearts for what the veil might mean they point it out on the Reverend, thereby casting their own sin and aguish on to him, as not to claim any sins of their own. Another example of imagery is found at the end of Hooper’s life, where he claims to see a veil on every face. From Hooper’s point of view he saw “on every visage a Black Veil!” (Hawthorne 30). The Reverend has lived his life behind this veil, yet the veil it seems to make it clear that all the others are “wearing” a veil as well, although they are not physically wearing a veil. He points this out to compel everyone to understand that he’s not the only one that has a secret sin, but that everyone shares in the aspect of hiding