Hawthorne’s Use of Allegory - 1212 Words

Hawthorne’s Use of Allegory The Ministers Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a short story that was first published in the 1836 edition of the Token and Atlantic Souvenir and reappeared over time in Twice-Told Tales, a collection of short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The short story narrates the events following Reverend Mr. Hoopers decision to begin wearing a black veil that obscures his full face, except for his mouth and chin. Mr. Hooper simply arrives one day at the meeting house wearing the semi-transparent black veil and refuses from then on to take it of, leading to the loss of his fiancà ©e and isolation form the world. He is even buried in the black veil. Yet, what is important to note are Mr. Hoopers last words to those†¦show more content†¦The themes of the story serve to further explicate the universal nature of all human beings. These themes include for example shame, guilt, the nature of sinning and morality. With regard to shame, whilst it is true that the veil covers Mr. Hoopers f ace, it does at the same time expose the nature of sin as one embedded deep inside humans. In other words, the veil exposes the sin existent in the world which makes the townspeople grow more and more uncomfortable. These feelings of discomfort are thus the result of being faced with the shame within. The more one has learned to ignore the sense of shame at the sins committed and the darkness surrounded by, the more he or she is incapable of facing Mr. Hooper. This leads the discussion to the second theme in the short story: guilts hidden nature. Indeed, most townspeople are faced with guilt suppressed upon looking at Mr. Hooper as they have never had to face a physical form of their guilt. However, Mr. Hoopers didactic usage of the veil serves as a constant reminder of that which is rather forgotten: sins committed. It is for this reason that many townspeople would rather ignore Mr. Hooper. However, the Reverend convinces the townspeople that everyone shares sins no matter what the y attempt to do to hide it or avoid facing it. Human nature is simply sinful and there is no avoiding this universal fact that binds all beings. It isShow MoreRelatedHawthorne’s Use of Allegory1545 Words   |  7 Pagesdeclaration underlines the meanings of the veil in the story as symbolic of sin, darkness, and the duality within human nature. Thus, The Ministers Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a literary work of art that demonstrates the authors use of allegory to highlight the psychological angle of the story and characters using agents of symbols, setting, characters, and actions in a coherent way to represent non-literal and metaphorical meanings about the human character (Abrams 7). The most powerfulRead MoreShort Story Analysis: Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne851 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Young Goodman Brown, by Nathaniel Hawthorne Introduction Hawthornes short story Young Goodman Brown is a tale of innocence lost. Set in New England during the Puritan era, the protagonist, Goodman Brown, goes for a walk in the woods one night and meets the devil who tells him. Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again, to the communion of your race. According to Levin this story is a condemnation of the hypocrisy of the puritan ethic. The Salem witch trialsRead MoreAnalysis Of Young Goodman Brown1179 Words   |  5 Pageswhat seems like the intentions of gothic and romance features. However, looking further into the story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† it is clear to see that there is a possibility that the imagery displayed can lead to some interesting theories behind Hawthornes purpose, imagery, and symbolism in the text. 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Written in 1843, it was Hawthorne’s first work of fiction right after he married his wife, Sophia (Encarta)Read MoreAllegory in Young Goodman Brown Essay1008 Words   |  5 PagesNathaniel Hawthornes short story Young Goodman Brown is an excellent example of an allegory. Allegories use events, characters or symbolism as a bizarre or abstract representation of ideas in the story, and throughout Young Goodman Brown, Hawthorne uses a heavy amount of symbolism, as well as his characters and the events of the story line to develop a religious allegory. A large symbolic role is played by protagonist Goodman Browns wife, Faith. Also, the main event in the short story, Browns