1. The Minister’s Black Veil
Nathaniel Hawthorne

2. The Minister’s Black Veil
• Mr. Hooper’s sermon
• tinged with darkness
• Parishioners felt guilt – the preacher had
“crept” upon them
• They can’t breath
• As if he discovered their sins
• Voice is melancholy – they tremble
• Air of pathos

3. The people change their behavior
towards Mr. Hooper
• Ignore him
• Won’t walk beside him
• The squire doesn’t invite him to bless his meal
• Don’t know why the veil affects them in this
way
• Think he has lost his mind

4. The Effect of the Veil
• The veil hides our true selves
• If you are alive you are wearing a veil
• The veil is a symbol of our sin/guilt
• The darkest – sinful part of ourselves that only we
know
• God knows this dark sinful part of our being
• Represents the Puritan belief that we are all sinful
• Mr. Hooper was the only one brave enough to admit
to this

5. Mr. Hooper Transformed
• Seems to be walking hand in hand with death
• He allows the dead girl to see his face
• The dead girl seems to acknowledge him by
trembling
• Mr. Hooper absorbs the fear of the people
• He turns pale – spills the wine (at the wedding)
• He is death, sin
• Runs into the dark night

6. People believed
• Mr. Hooper has lost his mind
• People believe he has “secret” sin
• Walks hand and hand with the dead
• He has become a symbol of evil
• Their judgment isolates him
• Even Elizabeth can’t accept the veil

7. The Effective Pastor
• Mr. Hooper becomes an effective pastor
• By wearing the veil – he admits that he is a
sinner
• He is carrying the sins of his congregation –
Christ-like
• Sinners can relate to him – no judgment
• They fear him – sins are reflected onto him
• Speaking to him is like confession – purifying
their sins

8. Mr. Hooper speaks to the Church
Leaders
• As he is dying he tells them “You are all
wearing veils”
• They too (the church leaders) carry sin
• He isn’t a monster because they also carry a
secret
• When we are all open with each and stop
judging each other then the veil will no longer
be necessary – he no longer will be a monster

9. What is the message of this
parable?
• In the speech Mr. Hooper gives the church leaders
lies the message
• Hawthorne is reaching across generations to speak
to his ancestors who burned the women who were
accused of witchcraft at the stake
• He is also speaking to the church
• We are all sinners but those who judge others for
their sins and bring sorrow, isolation and even death
are truly sinful and evil – real monsters

10. The Veil as a Symbol of Sin
• “There may be whispers that you hide your
face under consciousness of secret sin”
• “…when a man does not vainly shrink from
the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring
up the secret of his sin; then deem me a
monster…”

11. The Veil as a Symbol of Sorrow/
Mourning
• “’If it be a sign of mourning’, Mr. Hooper
replied, ‘I perhaps like most other mortals
have sorrows dark enough to be typified by a
black veil.’”

12. The Veil as a Symbol of Isolation
• “Men have avoided me and women shown no
pity and children screamed and fled, only for
my black veil”

13. The Veil as a Symbol of Mystery
• “The minister and the maiden’s spirit walked
hand in hand.”
• “…the corpse had slightly shuddered…”