Hooper's wearing of the veil only reinforces this notion. We are all unclean and should be aware of our condition. Hooper believed this and says so on his deathbed when he tells those around him, "On every visage a Black Veil!" (Hawthorne 640) G.A. Santangelo believes that Hawthorne was concerned with a delusional state of innocence in that no one can be innocent in this world "because man has a propensity for evil that musty be understood" (Santangelo 61). No one of this earth can be innocent and failure to recognize this "leads to a childish egotism and an unrealistic ethic which results in a sterile paganism" (61). Hooper makes a choice that isolates him but it is a choice that is "dedicated to a higher purpose" (66). In this sense, he "accepts the darkness, not in pride, but of necessity" (66). This story is tragic, according to Santangelo because the minister's isolation is "dedicated to a higher purpose, and he willingly accepts darkness not in pride, but of necessity" (66). Hooper's "authentic self could be established only in isolation and in blackness and through loving service to humanity, not in personal happiness" (66). Here we see that the veil becomes a symbol that is not only a teaching tool but also a sacrifice. Hooper cannot live his life without guilt or shame knowing his human condition and is therefore compelled to expose that condition to his fellow man. "The Minister's Black Veil" is a tale about the nature of man. Hopper becomes the freak of the story but he is actually the one that is more aware of his human...
His veil becomes a symbol of the goodness of God's word and the evil nature of man. One cannot be in communion with god and not be aware of one's own sinful nature. Hooper's veil hides his sin from God and from others as well. He hopes that his veil will also serve as a warning to others that might e inclined to live a sinful life and hide behind the facade of a happy smile. The minister is content to go to his grave if he can illustrate how important it is for man to become aware of his nature and become right with God in times of turmoil and temptation.
Mr. Hooper states that he is no better or worse than the other members of his community, who he believes also harbor secret sins, even though they act as though they do not. The anti-Transcendentalist concept, like Transcendentalism, suggests that society harbors a false surface, but it believes this is due to an innate sinfulness of humankind, not because human beings outside of society are better. Anti-transcendentalists believed that humans are
Hawthorne Hooper suddenly dons a mysterious black veil "which entirely concealed his features, except the mouth and chin, but probably did not intercept his sight, further than to give a darkened aspect to all living and inanimate things," (Hawthorne). This "gloomy" veil is the central symbol of Hawthorne's short story, "The Minister's Black Veil." As with other Hawthorne stories, "The Minister's Black Veil" offers a poignant critique against hyper-religiosity in ultra-Puritan
Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter and the Minister's Black Veil Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1804-1864, is considered one of the great masters of American fiction, with tales and novels that reflect deep explorations of moral and spiritual conflicts (Hawthorne pp). He descended from a prominent Puritan family, and when he was fourteen years old, he and his widowed mother moved to a remote farm in Maine (Hawthorne pp). Hawthorne attended
Furthermore the rhetoric here is rich in symbolism. Dr. King draws parallels between the response of violence to his peaceful protests and other great personalities whose commitment to justice, truth, and love also had unintended and unfortunate consequences. Personalities like Socrates and Jesus, for example, could not be expected to deny their truth for fear of public reaction. Dr. King makes this argument even stronger by also drawing the parallel
Burke had a "puissant sense of the potency and efficiency of the word," Schwartz goes on (Schwartz 1966), which meant that man reveals his "symbolizing capacity through language." The ceremony continues, with some spiritually appropriate remarks offered by the clergy in charge. Sometimes, the bride and groom write the script from which the clergy will read. And often, the bride and the groom write their own personalized vows. But in
The only thing that is missing is the freedom to make that choice, the freedom to do it without pain or sacrifice. But freedom always comes with a price, especially for women. In the process of gaining her choice, Ada loses a finger, loses her piano, and almost loses her life. We have to also look at history in the film. The Piano seems historically correct because women didn't have
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