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The Black Veil

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The Black Veil
Varshita Patel
Mrs.Bernard
English 3
26 September 2017
The Black Veil

In the short story The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the veil symbolizes a secret sin hidden from others. Mr. Hooper, the reverend of a small Puritan town in New York, faces multiple challenges as he covers his face with a black veil, which was seen as a bad omen. Hawthorne uses the hatred of the townsfolk against Mr. Hooper to explore the sins of others. As the news about Mr. Hooper traveled, Hawthorne states, “Dying sinners cried aloud for Mr. Hooper and would not yield their breath until he appeared” (63). The sinners feel a relief when they realize their minister is not as pure as a puritan should be. They take comfort that a person is more sinful than
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