“The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards both convey their ideas on sin and staying true to beliefs. Both authors approach this in different ways. While Hawthorne approaches these ideas through the minister and his black veil in a less straightford way, Jonathan Edwards challenges the reader’s understanding of Puritan ideals of religion by creating a sense of fear amongst his congregation through his anger and directness. Edward was more effective in his methods because he creates a sense of fear and fear many times forces change.
Edwards uses diction that expresses the anger he feels about his ideas on the fate of sinners. Edwards writes “you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, as the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours” (Edwards, par. 30). The words Edwards chose show how he feels about the way God views his people as they stray from him in sin. Hawthorne uses diction that portrays the somber and tense atmosphere created by the minister and his black veil. Hawthorne writes “The bearers went heavily forth, and the mourners followed, saddening all the streets, with the dead before them, and Mr. Hooper in his black veil behind” (Hawthorne, 3). This diction
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He writes “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire” (Edwards, par.30) This conveys his idea that the readers are dangling over hell because of their wicked ways. Hawthorne uses symbolism to explain the deeper meaning of the black veil. He writes “Do not desert me, though this veil must be between us here on earth… It is but a mortal veil…” (Hawthorne, 5) The minister says this to show that the veil represents the secret sin that one will carry with them while on earth. Despite the fact that they have different ideas , both authors are able to reveal a greater meaning through