LITR 4232:
American Renaissance
Student Presentation Summary
Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” 2195-2203
Reader: Lydia Dennis
Recorder: Simone Rieck
My presentation will focus on objective 2: the related styles of the “gothic” and objective 3: literature as a basis for discussing representative problems and subjects of the American culture in relation to the individual and the community.
Objective 2:
The story is mysterious from start to finish. There are gothic elements presented with the light and dark aspects in the story. As the story begins, we get a cheerful image. At the sight of Mr. Hooper, the story darkens.
The following are examples of the gothic elements presented in this story:
Page 2195- “Children, with bright faces, tript merrily beside their parents, or mimicked a graver gait, in the conscious dignity of their Sunday clothes. Spruce bachelors looked sidelong at the pretty maidens, and fancied that the Sabbath sunshine made them prettier than on weekdays”.
In this passage, we can see the light that will later turn dark at the sight of Mr. Hooper.
Page 2196- “Yet, perhaps the pale-faced congregation was almost as fearful a sight to the minister, as his black veil to them”.
Page 2197--“…and conscious of lighter spirits, the moment they lost sight of the black veil”.
-“A sad smile gleamed faintly from beneath the black veil, and flickered about his mouth, glimmering as he disappeared”.
-“The black veil, though it covered only our pastor’s face, throws its influence over his whole person, and makes him ghost-like from head to foot”.
Page 2198-- “…at the instant when the clergyman’s’ features were disclosed, the corpse had slightly shuddered…” This passage is very eerie; the thought of a corpse shuddering is creepy.
-“that the minister and the maiden’s spirit were walking hand in hand.”
-“When Mr. Hooper came, the first thing that their eyes rested on was the same horrible black veil, which had added deeper gloom to the funeral, and could portend nothing but evil to the wedding. Such was its immediate effect on the guests, that a cloud seemed to have rolled duskily from beneath the black crape, and dimmed the light of the candles. The bridal pair stood up before the minister. But the bride’s cold fingers quivered in the tremulous hand of the bridegroom, and her deathlike paleness caused a whisper, that the maiden who had been buried a few hours before, was come from her grave to be married”.
Page 2199- “…his lips grew white…and rushed forth into the darkness.”
Page 2201- “Thus, from beneath the black veil, there rolled a cloud into the sunshine, an ambiguity of sin or sorrow, which enveloped the poor minister...”
From these examples, we can see that Hawthorne uses plenty of gothic elements in this story. Mr. Hooper’s black veil brought about moral issues of sin and salvation, which are distinguished through light and dark.
Also, Mr. Hooper’s walks to the burial ground which shows a gothic setting in the story as well as, “faces behind the grave-stones, peeping at his black veil” (2201).
Also, In the spring semester 2002, Robin Stone noted how Mr. Hooper is frequently smiling. I agree with her when she says, “This reference to the glimmer of Mr. Hooper’s smile is a play on light and dark. The darkness the veil embodies vs. the light of the smile that plays on his lips with each reference of thought of it”. Robin has pointed out the gothic of the light and dark in Mr. Hooper’s smile.
My questions for objective 2 are:
1. This story is noted as a parable. This being said, which moral or religious lesson can be drawn from this story?
2. This story can be interpreted in many different ways. Why do you think Hawthorne presents the story as such?
3. Does Mr. Hooper’s commitment to wear the veil make him a more effective minister?
Objective 3:
Mr. Hooper’s decision to wear the black veil has caused much upheaval in the community. His parishioners, as well as the public, dislike the veil and want to know why he wears it. He refuses to remove the veil and as a result causes everyone to question and judge him for wearing it. Before seeing Mr. Hooper, everyone was cheerful. After seeing him with the black veil, the mood of the community darkens. His parishioners comment on the veil and the effect it has on them.
Page 2196--“But so wonder-struck were they, that his greeting hardly met with a return.”
-“I don’t like it”, muttered an old woman, as she hobbled into the meeting-house. “He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face.”
-“Our parson has gone mad!”
-“Such was the effect of this simple piece of crape, that more than one woman of delicate nerves was forced to leave the meeting-house”.
Page 2197--“Strange and bewildered looks repaid him for his courtesy”.
-“How strange, said a lady, “ that a simple black veil, such as any woman might wear on her bonnet, should become such a terrible thing on Mr. Hooper’s face!”.
-“Something must surely be amiss with Mr. Hooper’s intellects, observed her husband, the physician of the village. “ But the strangest part of the affair is the effect of this vagary, even on a sober-minded man like myself. The black veil, though it covered only our pastor’s face, throws its influence over his whole person, and makes him ghost-like from head to foot”.
-“… and I would not be alone with him for the world. I wonder he is not afraid to be alone with himself!”. ‘
Page 2199- “But that piece of crape, to their imagination, seemed to hang down before his heart, the symbol of fearful secret between him and them”.
Page 2203- “Dark old man… With what horrible crime upon your soul are you now passing to the judgment?”
These are just a few examples of the community being judgmental. However, we can see that even until Mr. Hooper’s dying hour, people around him want to know what he did to warrant the wearing of the veil.
Q1: This story is noted as a parable. This being said, which moral or
religious lesson can be drawn from this story?
Deterrean: The last page, or the death speech, illustrates the commonality
of the depravity of man. Its central lesson is that we are fellow travelers
of sin and darkness; there is no room to judge others.
Lydia: Mr. Hooper sees the black veil on everyone.
Q2: This story can be interpreted in many different ways. Why do you think
Hawthorne presents the story as such?
Corrie: We all have sin – common theme, even in Young Goodman Brown
Deterrean: Hooper, with his veil, is similar to Jesus, in that he is
bearing loss and sins for the entire community.
Dawn: When Jimmy Carter did a Playboy interview he never admitted to
committing sin, but confessed he was human and that he thought about it.
Hooper and Carter were both symbols of virtuous men.
Doug: The main characters’ serious offenses are disguised – subjective.
Sin (or evil) is in the spirit, not in the actions.
Lydia: Leaves a void open for interpretation.
Q3: Does Mr. Hooper’s commitment to wear the veil make him a more effective
minister?
Deterrean: Absolutely. Most effective ministers have a tinge of darkness;
it adds a gravitas and wears on the spirit and heart.
Dr. White: Mr. Rogers was a minister. He was a good man, but darkness
could be seen in him at times. However, he was fighting darkness to be a
good man.
Kathy: Hooper wore a black veil, but saw the veil on others. He did not
think of them any differently, though they treated him differently.
Dawn: The veil was made of flimsy material.
Claire: It was made of crepe; he had to be able to see through it.
Deterrean: The minister understands the condition of man. “White marble
God” – not as easily forgiven.
Sandra: Hooper’s veil took away from his humanity. Parishioners did not
feel they could always go to him. It tampered with his effect as a minister
on the little issues.
Kathy: Hooper gave a sermon explaining why he wore the veil, but the
parishioners did not listen or understand.
Claire: The veil may have hidden secrets or smiles, or awareness. It is
very gothic.
Objective Three
Q1: Why do you think the community kept Mr. Hooper as their pastor for so long?
Sarah: It was out of fear to approach a man of power over a moral issue.
Lydia: The people talked about him behind his back.
Jennifer: Maybe they had sympathy for him – understood penance.
Dawn: They were fearful because the veil may have resembled an executioner’s hood.
Lydia: He should have been someone they could turn to.
Jennifer: There were not as many pastors or churches then…One pastor per town.
Claire: People from other towns came to see him – freak show. They
couldn’t fire him; he brought people.
Sandra: If they judged him openly, then they may have had to deal with
their sins openly.
Deterrean: The story deals with the subconscious. The flame and the moths.
Flame=pastor, moths=people. They were subconsciously drawn to him.
Sarah: Was the lover/nurse socially acceptable?
Sandra: Elizabeth came back to treat him.
Dr. White: Was she his wife? On the other hand, was she just
pledged / engaged to him, not married?
Sarah: She kicked him out because of the veil.
Dawn: The veil causes people to internalize judgments of themselves.
Dr. White: Ministers of the time were state supported.