The Minister’s Black Veil: “What Lies Beyond A Veil” “The Minister’s Black Veil” is a parable about a mysterious minister named Mr. Hooper, who, from one day to another, began wearing a black veil. He wouldn’t take it off no matter the reason. The people from church reacted negatively to this mysterious black veil. They didn’t like it.
In this story, the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, uses imagination over reason. “ When Hooper begins to wear the veil, he introduces the idea that even the minister may have dark sins to hide(Becnel).” I agree with this opinion. The minister wore this veil because literally everyone can have sinned. He wore it as a symbol representing that he isn’t as “pure” as everyone would think. Unlike everybody else, Mr. Hooper actually shows off that he has sinned by wearing his black veil.
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Hooper’s black veil could have symbolized adultery. In the story, the author mentions how in the wedding, the spirit of a maiden was seen walking “hand-in-hand” with Mr. Hooper. He could have had a relationship with this woman in the past. Since Mr. Hooper is seen as “pure” because he is a minister, he probably felt guilty because of a possible affair he could’ve had with this woman. Or he maybe had an affair with this woman while being with Elizabeth, his fiancee.
Another possible representation of the black veil could be the secret sin that all people carry inside themselves. Mr. Hooper knew that everyone had sins, so he possibly wore it to represent everyone as one whole. Like Jesus Christ did, he made himself responsible for everybody’s sins and suffered in their place. Mr. Hooper may have done the same thing and suffered emotionally for all his