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What Does The Minister's Black Veil Symbolize

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What Does The Minister's Black Veil Symbolize
A commonly used phrase reads “We are very good lawyers for our own mistakes, but very good judges for the mistakes of others.” In “The Ministers Black Veil,” Nathanial Hawthorne exposes a theme of revealed sin and underlying guilt. Throughout the story, the author creates this idea that people spend a lot of their time judging others by their actions rather than by their own. Reverend Hooper chooses to never remove the black veil. It conveys this feeling of secret sin and is only confirmed when at his deathbed, he says that everyone has a secret sin that is hidden from all others. There are several settings in this story that show what the black veil symbolizes.
The first setting of the story begins at the church where Hooper wears the black veil symbolizing sin. It is evident during Hooper’s Sermon that he is …show more content…
The narrator explains “At that instant, catching a glimpse of his figure in the looking-glass, the black veil involved his own spirit in the horror with which it overwhelmed all others. His frame shuddered, his lips grew white, he spilt to untasted wine upon the carpet, and rushed forth into the darkness. For the earth, too, had on her black veil” (48). After the couple got married, Hooper takes a glass of wine to celebrate; he notices his black veil in the mirror and runs out because he is frightened. Hooper noticing his veil in the mirror is strange. It was like he forgot that it was there. It’s as if it was a reminder of this secret and guilty sin that he is hiding. In the last sentence, it says that the earth is wearing the black veil as well. If the earth is wearing a black veil, that means that the earth is covered in sin itself. Hooper was known to love and enjoy weddings. It’s surprising that he would still show up to something so happy and cheerful with the black veil hanging over his face. At this point it looks like Hooper isn’t going to be taking his veil off anytime
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