THE MINISTER’S BLACK VEIL
Review and prove the
following:
What elements make this Gothic literature?
What elements link it to Puritan thought?
How does Hawthorne use symbolism to develop theme?
Syntax and diction
Syntax
• Dense sentence
structure
• Find subject and
verb first to
make meaning
Diction
• Old, outdated
(archaic)
• Old need to be
re-phrased
using context
clues in
sentences
Diction
• See
“Understanding
Archaisms” on
page 308 in old
lit books
Allegory
 Work in which characters, events, or settings
symbolize/represent something else.
Relate to Hawthorne
 Hawthorne specifically uses this to emphasize
moral qualities and circumstances that people
can relate to on their own terms.. Thus, “The
Minister’s Black Veil” is highly allegorical and
shows us man’s issues with morality and how we
try to hide it. It becomes a tale of what happens
when individuals and society judge sinful
behavior too harshly.
 Keep in mind that he calls this a “parable” which
is a short lesson that teaches a moral lesson.