The MinisTer’s Black Veil
A parable
By nataniel hawthorne
1. Why did the minister wear the veil? Was he trying to prove a point? If so, what was the point?
2. Would the people in the town have acted differently if the veil had been another color, say white or
blue?
3. This quote “should snatch the veil from their faces” begs the question – what is everybody hiding?
4. Why didn’t anyone ask the minister why he was wearing the veil?
5. What is the purpose of this quote: “There is an hour to come…when all of us shall cast aside our veils.
Take it not amiss, beloved friend, if I wear this piece of crepe till then”? What is the “hour to come”?
(270-271).
6. How would you react to Mr. Hooper wearing a black veil? How does the congregation react?
7. What is the black veil a symbol of? Why? And how does this relate to the themes of the short story?
8. Why doesn’t Mr. Hooper allow anyone to take the veil off, even in his death? How is his reaction to
taking it off significant?
9. What is the meaning of the phrase “For the Earth, too, had on her Black Veil”?
10. What is the mood of the minister’s sermon? (268-269).
11. What are words that describe the attitude of the townspeople when they first see Mr. Hooper wearing the
veil?
12. How does the veil affect Mr. Hooper’s relationships?
13. Why didn’t someone finally take Mr. Hooper’s veil off? Was it because of fear or respect?
14. What was the author’s purpose in making connections to the black veil and a minister?
15. What is the setting of his story? Could this same scenario happen today? What would it look like?
16. Did the minister prefer the veil to Elizabeth? If so, why?
Compare / Contrast with “The Three Piece Suit” pp. 279-281
1. How are the symbols in both stories alike? How are they different?
2. In which story does the symbol more accurately represent the character who wears it? Explain your
choice, using textual evidence from both stories.
3. With which symbol or character do you more closely identify? Why?
4. Do both stories have the same themes or are their variations on a theme? Write the themes for each
below to reach a conclusion.
5. What statement or message was each character tying to make with the change in appearance? What
might be the effects of these statements?
6. How important might these effects be to the characters and to others around them?