The Black Veil The Presence Of Sin Essay - 2396 Words

The Black Veil: The Presence of Sin in Hawthorne’s Short Stories Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Dark Romantic views shine through his writing, showing that human nature is weak and selfish. Although his plots revolve around misguided people and the guilt of their lives, the guilt stems from their sins that are arguably unpardonable since they affect the sinners’ lives until they die. Hawthorne especially uses the theme of an unpardonable sin in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† â€Å"Roger Malvin’s Burial,† and â€Å"The Celestial Railroad.† First, Reuben in â€Å"Roger Malvin’s Burial† committed multiple sins that are arguably unpardonable. The narrator began the tale by describing how in battle heroism can be displayed â€Å"by casting certain circumstances judiciously into the shade,† exactly what Reuben tried and failed to do (88). He believed if he never admitted the truth of his actions, he would not have to face them and could move forward in his life. Consequently, he only cast his actions deep within himself, allowing his guilt to manifest and control his life. The first obvious sin is deceit. Reuben lied to Dorcas about burying her father. However, he lied to Roger, too. Reuben â€Å"vowed, by the blood that stained [the handkerchief], that he would return, either to save his companion’s life, or to lay his body in the grave,† but he was insincere (93). He â€Å"felt the full importance of the promise, which he most solemnly made, to return, and perform Roger Malvin’s obsequies,† and â€Å"a sort of guilty feeling,Show MoreRelatedTheme Of Guilt In The Ministers Black Veil1065 Words   |  5 PagesThe Manipulation of Sin and Guilt The notion of sin and guilt controls not only individuals, but society as a whole. Sin can be either recognized or ignored; as a result of recognition, societies and individuals are able to better themselves, but when ignored, sin is still manifested in those within; in order to fully make progress in one’s character, sin has yet to be recognized.In the parable â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† Nathaniel Hawthorne initially illustrates a town full of â€Å"good people,†Read MoreAnalysis Of The Ministers Black Veil By Nathaniel Hawthorne1549 Words   |  7 Pagesshort story â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† by Nathaniel Hawthorne follows the minister Mr. Hooper whose simple change in appearance alters the very nature of his existence in society till his death. While his decision to begin to wear a black veil over his face ostracizes him from society, it also turns him into a more influential clergyman. With the symbolism of the black veil, Haw thorne makes a statement on the involvement of society in personal matters and the â€Å"black veil† that is present over theRead MoreThe Minister s Black Veil1004 Words   |  5 PagesThe Minister s Black veil is a Romanticism. A romanticism is a movement in the art which sprung during the eighteenth and nineteenth century.Romantic is used to describe literature. It is defined as a depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form. As well as the imagination and emotion and the freedom embraced are all focus points of romanticism. Characteristics Of this literature piece would include subjectivity and an emphasis on individualism. Solitary life rather than life in society. TheRead MoreEssay on The Ministers Black Veil1109 Words   |  5 PagesHawthornes The Ministers Black Veil, Mr. Hooper, a Reverend in the town of Milford, surprises his parishioners by donning a conspicuous black veil one Sunday. The town is visibly spooked, yet still curious, about his eerie appearan ce and profoundly affected by his sermon on secret sin. A subtle power was breathed into his words. Each member of the congregation, the most innocent girl, and the man of hardened breast, felt as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered theirRead MoreCritiques of the Puritan Norms by Nathaniel Hawthorne in Young Goodman Brown982 Words   |  4 Pagesof the primary themes of Puritanism is the concept of original sin, and Hawthorne seemed to have a preoccupation with this concept. In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† Hawthorne uses different characters and different scenes to make important statements on the nature of Puritan life. Specifically, the two works are linked from a thematic perspective. They both focus on the ways in which the Puritan concept of sin can cause a soul-crushing brand of guilt that afflicts all partsRead MorePsychological Terror in â€Å"the Ministers Black Veil†1578 Words   |  7 Pageswhich eventually leads him or her to their true love, or some sort of happiness at the end. But what effect do these expectations have on our interpretation of a story? Since my goal with this essay is to attempt to categorize the â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† by Nathaniel Hawthorne, I will need to investigate what characteristics are present, in hopes that these characteristics will lead me to some sort of definitive answer about the genre of this story. First, we must look at the elements of theRead MoreFigurative Language in â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† Essay1032 Words   |  5 PagesMinisters Black Veil illustrates the dangers of secret sin. Allowing guilt from things done in the past, things that cannot be changed, can ruin lives. The life of the secret-carrier will be devastated, along with the lives of that persons most loved ones. Hawthorne uses various types of figurative language in his works to portray his message. The Ministers Black Veil† is no exception; Hawthorne uses symbolism and suggestion to add depth and mystery. Hawthornes parable, The Ministers Black VeilRead MoreRepresentation of Evil in Poe and Hawthornes Stories Essay979 Words   |  4 PagesMiguel Bonilla Rivera Instr. Adriana Dorado INGL 3104, sec. 080 22 February 2013 The Evil Presence Since the discovery of philosophy by the Greek civilizations man has always tried to find the cause of many fundamental problems that are connected to the reality and existence of factors that contribute to these dilemmas but still remain unknown to humanity. One of the most controversial questions philosophy tries to answer is the origin of what we consider evil, who or what is connected toRead More Nathaniel Hawthorne: No Ordinary Author Essay3147 Words   |  13 Pages structures results in little to no variation.   One author, though born into the era of Romanticism dared to expand the possibilities nineteenth - century literature had to offer.   Through works such as Young Goodman Brown, The Ministers Black Veil, and The Birthmark, Nathaniel Hawthorne incorporated Romanticism into his own style.   Including ordinary men, such as Mr. Hooper, Goodman Brown, and Aylmer helped to classify Hawthorne as a semi-Romantic author.   Other Romantic characteristicsRead MoreT he Books Persepolis By Marjane Satrapi1583 Words   |  7 Pagesthe hijab Islamic veil which all women are forced to wear after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In Loung’s, it’s the black pajamas that she and her family are forced to wear while they are prisoners in Ro Leap, Cambodia. Marji is first introduced to the veil in a way that would be confusing to many children her age. From a child’s perspective, the requirement for all women to suddenly have to wear this additional piece of black clothing came very suddenly and unexpectedly. The veil is used throughout