Minister's Black Veil Parable

"This veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No mortal eye will see it withdrawn" (Hawthorne 1134). While it may not always be a physical veil, generally, everyone has a secret that remains hidden. In "The Minister's Black Veil: A Parable," Hawthorne uses symbols such as the veil to portray themes like sin, isolation, and honesty to communicate the adultery in Hooper's life.
Hawthorne describes "The Minister's Black Veil: The Parable" as a parable. A parable is a story that is told with the intent to teach the reader a valuable moral lesson. There are many things that can be taken from "The Minister's

Hawthorne says, "Another clergyman [. . .] Mr. Joseph Moody [. . .] made himself remarkable by the same eccentricity that is here related of the Reverend Mr. Hooper. In his case, however, the symbol had a different import. In early life he had accidentally killed a beloved friend; and from that day till the hour of his own death, he hid his face from men" (Hawthorne 1129). By adding in this footnote at the beginning of the short story, Hawthorne leads readers to believe that, like Mr. Joseph Moody, Hooper has something to hide behind his black veil. In Mr. Moody's situation, the black veil was symbolic for a sin he had committed – killing his beloved friend. The connection between Mr. Moody and Hawthorne's character Reverend Hooper is evidence that Hooper has committed a terrible sin in the story, even though it is never explicitly

The narrator describes the veil as "Swathed about his forehead, and hanging down over his face, so low as to be shaken by his breath" (Hawthorne 1130). Hooper's veil covers much of his face, only leaving open the mouth. Hawthorne continues, recounting that it "seemed to consist of two folds of crape, which entirely concealed his features, except the mouth and chin, but probably did not intercept his sight" (Hawthorne 1130). Hawthorne's elaboration on the veil provides readers with a more insightful description of how it appeared, saying that the veil was to "give a darkened aspect to all living and inanimate things" (Hawthorne 1130). It is important that Hawthorne mentions the newfound darkness the veil cast over Hooper's vision. This is important because evidently, something happened to Hooper to result in the presence of the veil. Hawthorne's addition is symbolic for the new way the reverend perceives the world and how the world perceives him – darker. In The Artist's Symbol and Hawthorne's Veil: "The Minister's Black Veil" Resartus, Freedman describes the veil as capable of stirring up "potent emotional effects" (Freedman). These emotions and opinions come from all characters in the story – including Hooper