american gothic the minister’s black veil focus and motivate … · 2018-09-09 · american...

American GothicThe Minister’s Black Veil Short Story by Nathaniel Hawthorne

did you know? Nathaniel Hawthorne . . .• achieved his first literary

success writing stories for children.

• was a mentor to Herman Melville, who dedicated Moby Dick to him.

• wrote a campaign biography for his college friend Franklin Pierce, who became the 14th U.S. president.

Meet the Author

An intensely private man who allowed few to know him well, Nathaniel Hawthorne was fascinated by the dark secrets of human nature. In his greatest novels and short stories, including his masterpieces The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables, he explored such themes as sin, hypocrisy, and guilt. One of the first American writers to explore his characters’ hidden motivations, Hawthorne broke new ground in American literature with his morally complex characters.

Legacy of Guilt Born in Salem, Hawthorne was a descendant of the Puritan settlers of Massachusetts. His great-great-grandfather was a judge at the infamous Salem witch trials—the only one who refused to apologize for his role in sentencing innocent people to death. Though he tried to distance himself from his family’s dark legacy, Hawthorne shared the Puritan belief that people are basically sinful. But where

Puritans believed that society could be purified by the actions of a righteous

few, Hawthorne was more pessimistic: he believed that

perfection was impossible and remained skeptical of all attempts to reform or improve society.

Difficult Compromises Throughout his life,

Hawthorne was torn between his literary calling and his desire for a stable, respectable profession. By the time he left for Bowdoin College in 1821, Hawthorne knew he wanted to write. After graduation, he lived alone for 12 years, dedicated to building his literary career. By 1842, he had achieved some success and had married his great love, Sophia Peabody. Their otherwise happy marriage was constantly shadowed by financial woes. When times were tough, Hawthorne had well-connected friends set him up with government jobs, whose dull routines choked his imagination and limited his time to write. Although he never stopped writing, work, illness, and family duties dominated Hawthorne’s later years. He died in 1864 of a sudden illness.

Challenging Questions One of Hawthorne’s great talents was his mastery of symbolism. He often chose symbols whose meaning was ambiguous, forcing readers to think deeply about his characters and their conflicts. Despite his pessimism, he found hope in the redeeming power of love, a theme he developed in his mature works. Hawthorne’s efforts to come to terms with his own past inspired profound reflections on American identity that still resonate today.

Nathaniel Hawthorne c. 1804–1864

KEYWORD: HML11-468AVIDEO TRAILER

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RL 1 Cite evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL 3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story. L 4b–c Identify and use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech; consult reference materials.

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Essential Course of Study ecosecos

Focus and Motivate

Selection Resources

RL 1 Cite evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL 3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story. L 4b–c Identify and use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech; consult reference materials. L 6 Acquire and use academic words and phrases.

about the authorAfter students have read about Hawthorne’s life, discuss why sin, hypocrisy, and guilt would be considered hidden character motivations—and why those themes might have appealed to a writer with Hawthorne’s family history. As students read “The Minister’s Black Veil,” encourage them to watch for the appearance of these themes and to think about how they are connected to the “black veil” of the title.

* Resources for Differentiation † Also in Spanish ‡ Also in Haitian Creole and Vietnamese

RESOURCE MANAGER UNIT 2Plan and Teach, pp. 209–216Summary, pp. 217†–218‡Text Analysis and Reading

Skill, pp. 219–220†, 221–222†Vocabulary, pp. 223–225

DIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION TESTSSelection Tests, pp. 145–148

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITCharacter Traits and Textual

Evidence, p. D6INTERACTIVE READERADAPTED INTERACTIVE READERELL ADAPTED INTERACTIVE

READER

TECHNOLOGY Teacher One Stop DVD-ROMStudent One Stop DVD-ROM PowerNotes DVD-ROMAudio Anthology CD GrammarNotes DVD-ROMExamView Test Generator on the Teacher One Stop

See resources on the Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM and on thinkcentral.com.

Go to thinkcentral.com to preview the Video Trailer introducing this selection. Other features that support the selection include• PowerNotes presentation • ThinkAloud models to enhance

comprehension• WordSharp vocabulary tutorials• interactive writing and grammar

instruction

Video Trailer

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Teach

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How does someone become a stranger?Your best friend suddenly doesn’t like the things she’s always liked. Your brother comes home from college with a new haircut, listening to strange new music. What happens when someone you thought you knew changes? Can you still recognize the person you knew, or do his or her new behaviors lead to estrangement?QUICKWRITE Recall a time when someone close to you changed in a way that made him or her seem like a different person. Write a paragraph to describe the change. Explain why it made you see the person so differently.

text analysis: symbolA symbol is something concrete—a person, a place, an object, or an action—used to stand for an abstract idea or feeling. In some works, symbols may be subtle and hard to identify. In this story, Hawthorne identifies his main symbol outright:Know, then, this veil is a type and a symbol . . . Stories of veiled or masked figures can be traced back to myth. Such stories continue to fascinate audiences today. The challenge for readers is to interpret the symbolism of the veil. A rich symbol has many possible meanings. To interpret the veil or mask story, pay close attention to the veil’s context in the work, including ideas and feelings associated with it and how it affects the plot, or the structure of the story.As you read, use a concept map to note details about the minister’s black veil, the main symbol in this story.

veil

makes the world seem dark

impactideas

reading skill: identify cultural characteristicsAs you read, keep in mind that the story is set in an 18th-century Puritan town. The parishioners’ responses to their minister are meant to illustrate the traits that, in Hawthorne’s eyes, define Puritan culture. As the story unfolds, think about the values, beliefs, and social constraints that are revealed by the parishioners’ behavior.

vocabulary in context The boldfaced words helped Hawthorne tell his tale of Puritan life. Use context clues to write a definition of each.

1. messages filled with confusion and ambiguity 2. a zealous speaker whose eyes blazed intensely 3. a tale of sin and iniquity 4. an event so unusual that it seemed preternatural 5. an ostentatious costume that made people stare 6. imbued with great hopes for the future 7. her tremulous voice that revealed her nervousness 8. a sign that might portend trouble ahead

Complete the activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook.

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How does someone become a STRANGER?Ask the question. Explain that estrangement is the feeling of being alienated from oth-ers. After students have finished the QUICK-WRITE, point out that this activity should help them understand how people could become estranged.

V O C A B U L A R Y

vocabulary in contextDIAGNOSE WORD KNOWLEDGE Have all students complete Vocabulary in Context.ambiguity (BmQbG-gyLPG-tC) n. unclearness;

uncertaintyimbued (Gm-byLPd) adj. deeply influenced by

imbue v.iniquity (G-nGkPwG-tC) n. wickednessostentatious (JsQtDn-tAPshEs) adj. loud;

overdone

portend (pôr-tDndP) v. to serve as an omen of; to signify

preternatural (prCQtEr-nBchPEr-El) adj.supernatural

tremulous (trDmPyE-lEs) adj. trembling; quivering

zealous (zDlPEs) adj. eager and enthusiasticPRETEACH VOCABULARY Use the copy master

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Study p. 223

Model the Skill: identify cultural characteristics

To tie characters’ behavior to their beliefs, have students reread Legacy of Guilt in the Hawthorne biography and identify some cultural characteristics of Puritans. Point out the Puritans’ concern about sinfulness. They believed that people were essentially sinful, but they also believed that people who lived morally could improve society by their example.GUIDED PRACTICE Ask students to identify some cultural characteristics in another story that they have read or have seen on film or television.

R E A D I N G S K I L L

Model the Skill: symbolTo help students identify symbols, read aloud this example:

Heidi’s new hairstyle changed more than her appearance; everything about her now seemed different. Lisa no longer knew who Heidi was.

Point out that to Lisa, the hairstyle symbol-ized an entirely different individual, one that Lisa no longer felt she knew.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterSymbol p. 219 (for student use while reading the selection)

T E X T A N A L Y S I S

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the minister’s black veil 469

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470 unit 2: american romanticism

The sexton1 stood in the porch of Milford meetinghouse, pulling lustily at the bell rope. The old people of the village came stooping along the street. Children, with bright faces, tripped merrily beside their parents, or mimicked a graver gait,2 in the conscious dignity of their Sunday clothes. Spruce bachelors looked sidelong at the pretty maidens, and fancied that the Sabbath sunshine made them prettier than on weekdays. When the throng had mostly streamed into the porch, the sexton began to toll the bell, keeping his eye on the Reverend Mr. Hooper’s door. The first glimpse of the clergyman’s figure was the signal for the bell to cease its summons. a

Nathaniel Hawthorne

background In the Puritan town of 18th-century Massachusetts, the meetinghouse was the center of the community life. Used for both religious and civil gatherings, meetinghouses were simple and plain, with no obviously religious decorations. Families did not sit together during religious services, which lasted most of the day on Sundays. Men and women sat on opposite sides, and worshipers were seated according to their age and social standing. The oldest and most distinguished citizens were rewarded with seats closest to the pulpit, the raised platform from which the pastor delivered his sermons. As services began, all eyes turned expectantly toward the pulpit, awaiting the pastor’s entrance.

1. sexton: church employee who takes care of church property and performs various other duties. 2. mimicked a graver gait: followed their parents’ example and walked in a more dignified way.

THE MINISTER’S BLACK VEIL

Church at Head Tide #2 (1938–1940), Marsden Hartley. Oil on academy

board, 37 1/4˝ × 31 1/4˝ × 2 1/4˝. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Cowles. The

Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Analyze VisualsSimplicity was a central value of Puritan life. What elements of this painting help create its simple style? Consider the use of color, line, and texture, as well as the composition of the image, in your answer.

a CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICSReread lines 1–9. What details reveal the importance of Sunday worship for the people of Milford?

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differentiated instruction

Practice and ApplysummaryAs Hawthorne’s short story begins, the people of Milford are shocked to see that the Rever-end Mr. Hooper has covered his face with a black veil. The veil makes people uncomfort-able and alienates his fiancée, but Mr. Hooper will not clarify its meaning. Ironically, how-ever, it makes him a more effective pastor, earning him the name “Father Hooper.” He wears the veil for the rest of his life, even on his deathbed.

for english language learnersVocabulary: Multiple-Meaning Words Point out that certain words have more than one meaning and that students must determine the appropriate definition in a given use. As students begin reading this story, help them use context clues to figure out the meaning of lustily (line 1), bright (line 3), Spruce (line 4), toll (line 7), and figure (line 8).

for struggling readersIn combination with the Audio Anthology CD, use one or more Targeted Passages (pp. 472, 473, 479, 481, 482) to ensure that students focus on key story events and concepts. Targeted Passages are also good for English learners.

read with a purposeHelp students set a purpose for reading. Tell them to read this story to discover if Reverend Hooper ever removes the veil from his face.

a cultural characteristicsPossible answer: The importance of Sunday worship is revealed by the fact that it is at-tended by a “throng” (line 6) of people of all ages. Furthermore, children are dressed in and understand the importance of “Sun-day clothes” (lines 2–4), and bachelors feel that “Sabbath sunshine” (line 5) makes the young women more lovely.


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Analyze VisualsPossible answer: The simple style is achieved though the neutral colors of the painting, the plain lines of the church, and the relative lack of detail in both the church and the background. In addition, the texture of the painting is simple because the scene does not have much depth; the church almost blends into the background.About the Art Marsden Hartley (1877–1943), an American modernist painter, was born in Lewiston, Maine. Although they were not contemporaries, both Hartley and Hawthorne used their work to explore their New England roots. Furthermore, Hawthorne and Hart-ley were interested in religion: Hawthorne explored Puritan ideas in his writings, and many of Hartley’s paintings present religious images. Church at Head Tide #2 suggests the dominance of the Church, much as the meet-inghouse is the focus of Puritan culture at the beginning of Hawthorne’s story.

This selection on thinkcentral.com includes embedded ThinkAloud models–students “thinking aloud” about the story to model the kinds of questions a good reader would ask about a selection.

Reading Support

for advanced learners/apEvaluate Begin a class discussion by having students consider the “masks” that people wear in today’s society. Have students sup-pose that they had to wear an actual mask for one day that reflected something about their true identity. Tell students to draw a picture of what this mask might look like. Afterwards, have students present and describe their masks to the class.




3. Goodman: the Puritan equivalent of Mr. 4. crape (krAp): a piece of dark material worn as a sign of mourning. Also called crepe. 5. abstracted: preoccupied, or lost in thought.

“But what has good Parson Hooper got upon his face?” cried the sexton in astonishment.

All within hearing immediately turned about, and beheld the semblance of Mr. Hooper, pacing slowly his meditative way towards the meetinghouse. With one accord they started, expressing more wonder than if some strange minister were coming to dust the cushions of Mr. Hooper’s pulpit.

“Are you sure it is our parson?” inquired Goodman3 Gray of the sexton.“Of a certainty it is good Mr. Hooper,” replied the sexton. “He was to have

exchanged pulpits with Parson Shute of Westbury; but Parson Shute sent to excuse himself yesterday, being to preach a funeral sermon.”

The cause of so much amazement may appear sufficiently slight. Mr. Hooper, a gentlemanly person about thirty, though still a bachelor, was dressed with due clerical neatness, as if a careful wife had starched his band, and brushed the weekly dust from his Sunday’s garb. There was but one thing remarkable in his appearance. Swathed about his forehead, and hanging down over his face, so low as to be shaken by his breath, Mr. Hooper had on a black veil. On a nearer view, it seemed to consist of two folds of crape,4 which entirely concealed his features, except the mouth and chin, but probably did not intercept his sight, farther than to give a darkened aspect to all living and inanimate things. With this gloomy shade before him, good Mr. Hooper walked onward, at a slow and quiet pace, stooping somewhat and looking on the ground, as is customary with abstracted5

men, yet nodding kindly to those of his parishioners who still waited on the meetinghouse steps. But so wonder-struck were they that his greeting hardly met with a return.

“I can’t really feel as if good Mr. Hooper’s face was behind that piece of crape,” said the sexton.

“I don’t like it,” muttered an old woman, as she hobbled into the meetinghouse. “He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face.”

“Our parson has gone mad!” cried Goodman Gray, following him across the threshold.

A rumor of some unaccountable phenomenon had preceded Mr. Hooper into the meetinghouse, and set all the congregation astir. Few could refrain from twisting their heads towards the door; many stood upright, and turned directly about; while several little boys clambered upon the seats, and came down again with a terrible racket. There was a general bustle, a rustling of the women’s gowns and shuffling of the men’s feet, greatly at variance with that hushed repose which should attend the entrance of the minister. But Mr. Hooper appeared not to notice the perturbation of his people. He entered with an almost noiseless step, bent his head mildly to the pews on each side, and bowed as he passed his oldest parishioner, a white-haired great-grandsire, who occupied an armchair in the centre of the aisle. It was strange to observe how slowly this venerable man became conscious of something singular in the appearance of his pastor. He seemed not

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Language CoachWord Definitions Accord (line 14) means “agreement.” With one accord means “all in agreement.” What reaction are the churchgoers feeling with one accord?

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Targeted Passage1


tiered discussion promptsIn lines 10–33, use these prompts to help students explore Mr. Hooper’s action and Hawthorne’s purpose:

Connect Has someone ever done some-thing out of the ordinary that caught your attention? How did you react? Accept all appropriate responses.Interpret On first sight of the veil, how might the villagers interpret Mr. Hooper’s appearance? Explain. Possible answer: The villagers may think that Mr. Hooper has something to hide or be ashamed of. They may also think that he has gone insane.Synthesize Consider what you learned about Hawthorne on page 468. What might Hawthorne want readers to think about by presenting this odd event? Possible answer: Hawthorne was interested in the “dark secrets” that people hide. He might want readers to think about what secrets they may be keeping—and how obvious their secrecy may be to others.

revisit the big QUESTIONHow does someone become aSTRANGER?Discuss In lines 34–39, how do the comments in this passage show that people already feel some estrangement from their minister? Possible answer: All three comments suggest alienation: The sexton cannot think of the person he sees as Mr. Hooper; the old woman says that the minister has become “something awful”; and Goodman Gray calls him “mad.”

for struggling readers1 Targeted Passage [Lines 10–33]

This passage introduces Mr. Hooper’s veil and the first reactions to it.• Why are people unsure if the man walking

toward them is Mr. Hooper? (lines 20–25)• How does the veil affect the view of Mr.

Hooper’s face? (lines 25–27)• Do the people of Milford quickly get used to

the veil? How can you tell? (lines 32–33)

for english language learnersLanguage CoachWord Definitions Possible answer: They were in accord in feeling shock and curiosity at Parson Hooper wear-ing a black veil. Have students think of other phrases that mean “agreement.” Tell students to rewrite the sentence in lines 13–15 using one of the phrases they identi-fied in place of “With one accord.”





fully to partake of the prevailing wonder till Mr. Hooper had ascended the stairs, and showed himself in the pulpit, face-to-face with his congregation, except for the black veil. That mysterious emblem was never once withdrawn. It shook with his measured breath as he gave out the psalm; it threw its obscurity between him and the holy page, as he read the Scriptures; and while he prayed, the veil lay heavily on his uplifted countenance. Did he seek to hide from the dread Being6

whom he was addressing?Such was the effect of this simple piece of crape, that more than one woman of

delicate nerves was forced to leave the meetinghouse. Yet perhaps the pale-faced congregation was almost as fearful a sight to the minister as his black veil to them.

Mr. Hooper had the reputation of a good preacher, but not an energetic one: he strove to win his people heavenward by mild persuasive influences, rather than to drive them thither by the thunders of the Word. The sermon which he now delivered was marked by the same characteristics of style and manner as the general series of his pulpit oratory. But there was something, either in the sentiment of the discourse itself, or in the imagination of the auditors, which made it greatly the most powerful effort that they had ever heard from their pastor’s lips. It was tinged, rather more darkly than usual, with the gentle gloom of Mr. Hooper’s temperament. The subject had reference to secret sin, and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest, and would fain conceal from our own consciousness, even forgetting that the Omniscient7 can detect them. 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 their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought. Many spread their clasped hands on their bosoms. There was nothing terrible in what Mr. Hooper said; at least, no violence; and yet, with every tremor of his melancholy voice, the hearers quaked. An unsought pathos came hand in hand with awe. So sensible were the audience of some unwonted attribute in their minister, that they longed for a breath of wind to blow aside the veil, almost believing that a stranger’s visage would be discovered, though the form, gesture and voice were those of Mr. Hooper. b

At the close of the services, the people hurried out with indecorous confusion, eager to communicate their pent-up amazement, and conscious of lighter spirits the moment they lost sight of the black veil. Some gathered in little circles, huddled closely together, with their mouths all whispering in the centre; some went homeward alone, wrapped in silent meditation; some talked loudly, and profaned the Sabbath day with ostentatious laughter. A few shook their sagacious heads, intimating that they could penetrate the mystery; while one or two affirmed that there was no mystery at all, but only that Mr. Hooper’s eyes were so weakened by the midnight lamp as to require a shade. After a brief interval, forth came good Mr. Hooper also, in the rear of his flock. Turning his veiled face from one group to another, he paid due reverence to the hoary heads, saluted the middle-aged with kind dignity, as their friend and spiritual guide, greeted the young with mingled

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6. the dread Being: the awe-inspiring God. 7. the Omniscient: a title for God, signifying that he is all-knowing.

b SYMBOLReread lines 62–82. Describe the change that occurs in Mr. Hooper’s preaching. What seems to cause the listeners’ unusual response?

iniquity (G-nGkPwG-tC) n. wickedness

ostentatious (JsQtDn-tAPshEs) adj. loud; overdone

Language CoachSuffixes A suffix is a word part that appears at the end of a root or base word to form a new word. The suffix –ward means “in the direction of.” What do heavenward (line 63) and homeward (line 87) mean?

L 4b


Targeted Passage2



This passage shows how the veil actually enhances Mr. Hooper’s abilities.• What type of preacher has Mr. Hooper been

in the past? (lines 62–64)• What is the topic of Mr. Hooper’s sermon this

day? How is the sermon similar to and differ-ent from his previous sermons? (lines 64–73)

• How do members of the congregation react to the sermon? (lines 73–82)

for english language learnersLanguage CoachSuffixes Answer: Heavenward means “in the direction of heaven;” homeward means “in the direction of home.” Tell stu-dents to reread the text on this page and identify at least three other suffixes. Have students then define each suffix and write sentences using the three suffixes as parts of other words.

b Model the Skill: symbolRemind students that a symbol is some-thing that stands for something other than itself. To understand the change in Mr. Hooper’s preaching, work with students to review these lines and to record some thoughts on the concept map introduced on page 469.

veil

ideas impact

gives his sermon a “subtle power”

Possible answer: It seems as if the veil has given him a “subtle power” (line 73) to reach his audience and know their secrets (lines 74–78). The listeners’ unusual response seems to rise from their imagination, the sermon’s topic (lines 66–67) and the minis-ter’s strange appearance.Extend the Discussion How might a modern audience react to the veil?

V O C A B U L A R Y

own the word• iniquity: Iniquity refers to “wicked-

ness” or “gross injustice.” Have students complete the following sentence: “Nadine hid her iniquity from her family, but . . .” Possible answer: her remorse caused her to confess her misdeed.

• ostentatious: Tell students that ostenta-tious is the adjective form of the noun ostentation, and both refer to being pretentious. Ask students why they think someone would be ostentatious. Possible answer: Students may say an ostentatious person boasts to gain attention.


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authority and love, and laid his hands on the little children’s heads to bless them. Such was always his custom on the Sabbath day. Strange and bewildered looks repaid him for his courtesy. None, as on former occasions, aspired to the honor of walking by their pastor’s side. Old Squire Saunders, doubtless by an accidental lapse of memory, neglected to invite Mr. Hooper to his table, where the good clergyman had been wont to bless the food almost every Sunday since his settlement. He returned, therefore, to the parsonage, and at the moment of closing the door, was observed to look back upon the people, all of whom had their eyes fixed upon the minister. A sad smile gleamed faintly from beneath the black veil, and flickered about his mouth, glimmering as he disappeared. c

“How strange,” said a lady, “that a simple black veil, such as any woman might wear on her bonnet, should become such a terrible thing on Mr. Hooper’s face!”

“Something must surely be amiss with Mr. Hooper’s intellects,” observed her husband, the physician of the village. “But the strangest part of the affair is the effect of this vagary, even on a sober-minded man like myself. The black veil,

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c CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICSReread lines 92–100. Identify details that convey Mr. Hooper’s social status in Milford. What does the change in the villagers’ behavior toward the minister suggest about their values?The Last Halt: Stop of Hooker’s Band in East Hartford before Crossing River (1939), Alton S. Tobey. Study for East

Hartford, Connecticut Postal Office. Oil on fiberboard, 26” x 44 1/8”. Transfer from General Services Administration. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Photo © Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C./Art Resource, New York. © Alton Tobey Collection/www.altontobey.org

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Analyze VisualsActivity How do the people in this scene look similar to what you would expect of the characters in “The Minister’s Black Veil”? How does the crowd seem to be responding to the person addressing them? Possible answer: The people look very proper in their Puritan clothing, as seems to be true of the Puritans in the story. The crowd seems to be unsure of the speaker. They are attentive, but do not show emotion or express agreement or disagreement with the speaker.About the Art Alton Tobey (1912–2005) is best known for his realistic and historical art portraits and murals. This scene, a detail from one of his murals, shows Tobey’s ability to capture details, including the precise Puritan attire. Notice that the speaker’s face is hidden from viewers of the painting, as Mr. Hooper’s is hidden from the villagers.

c cultural characteristics

Possible answer: Mr. Hooper has an established relationship with all age groups and has been treated as a respected friend and mentor (lines 93–95). People usually “aspired to the honor of walking by their pastor’s side” (lines 97–98), but on this day, they do not. In addition, no one invites Mr. Hooper to dinner. The change suggests that the villagers value associating with people in authority but that their loyalty is weak.

for advanced learners/apAnalyze a Conversation [small-group op-tion] Ask students to reread the exchange between the physician and his wife in lines 105–114. Then have them write and share an analysis in which they respond to these questions:• How could the same black veil be fine on a

woman’s bonnet but “terrible” when cover-ing the minister’s face?

• Is it the veil itself that is the real problem, or is it the way that it makes the Puritan villag-ers feel? Explain your answer.

• What does the physician mean by saying that people sometimes are afraid to be alone? What does it mean, then, to know that Mr. Hooper has chosen to do some-thing that may result in solitude?

• What is Hawthorne’s purpose in including this brief conversation?


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though it covers only our pastor’s face, throws its influence over his whole person, and makes him ghost-like from head to foot. Do you not feel it so?”

“Truly do I,” replied the lady; “and I would not be alone with him for the world. I wonder he is not afraid to be alone with himself!”

“Men sometimes are so,” said her husband.The afternoon service was attended with similar circumstances. At its conclusion,

the bell tolled for the funeral of a young lady. The relatives and friends were assembled in the house, and the more distant acquaintances stood about the door, speaking of the good qualities of the deceased, when their talk was interrupted by the appearance of Mr. Hooper, still covered with his black veil. It was now an appropriate emblem. The clergyman stepped into the room where the corpse was laid, and bent over the coffin, to take a last farewell of his deceased parishioner. As he stooped, the veil hung straight down from his forehead so that, if her eyelids had not been closed forever, the dead maiden might have seen his face. Could Mr. Hooper be fearful of her glance, that he so hastily caught back the black veil? A person, who watched the interview between the dead and the living, scrupled not to affirm that, at the instant when the clergyman’s features were disclosed, the corpse had slightly shuddered, rustling the shroud8 and muslin cap, though the countenance retained the composure of death. A superstitious old woman was the only witness of this prodigy. From the coffin, Mr. Hooper passed into the chamber of the mourners, and thence to the head of the staircase, to make the funeral prayer. It was a tender and heart-dissolving prayer, full of sorrow, yet so imbued with celestial hopes, that the music of the heavenly harp, swept by the fingers of the dead, seemed faintly to be heard among the saddest accents of the minister. The people trembled, though they but darkly understood him, when he prayed that they, and himself, and all of mortal race might be ready, as he trusted this young maiden had been, for the dreadful hour that should snatch the veil from their faces. The bearers went heavily forth, and the mourners followed, saddening all the street, with the dead before them, and Mr. Hooper in his black veil behind. d

“Why do you look back?” said one in the procession to his partner.“I had a fancy,” replied she, “that the minister and the maiden’s spirit were

walking hand in hand.”“And so had I, at the same moment,” said the other.That night, the handsomest couple in Milford village were to be joined

in wedlock. Though reckoned a melancholy man, Mr. Hooper had a placid cheerfulness for such occasions, which often excited a sympathetic smile, where livelier merriment would have been thrown away. There was no quality of his disposition which made him more beloved than this. The company at the wedding awaited his arrival with impatience, trusting that the strange awe, which had gathered over him throughout the day, would now be dispelled. But such was not the result. When Mr. Hooper came, the first thing that their eyes rested on was the same horrible black veil, which had added deeper gloom to the funeral, and could portend nothing but evil to the wedding. Such was its immediate effect on the guests, that a cloud seemed to have rolled duskily from beneath the

8. shroud: burial garment.

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imbued (Gm-byLPd) adj. deeply influenced by imbue v.

portend (pôr-tDndP) v. to serve as an omen of; to signify

d SYMBOLParaphrase lines 133–138. In this context, what could Mr. Hooper mean when he refers to “the dreadful hour that should snatch the veil from their faces”?

Language CoachTopically Related Words Lines 115–141 describe a scene from a funeral. Look up the following words in a dictionary: deceased, corpse, coffin, farewell, shroud, mourner, bearer, procession. Using the words listed, explain what is occurring at the funeral.

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revisit the big QUESTIONHow does someone become aSTRANGER?Discuss In lines 105–114, how does the con-versation between husband and wife reveal about the villagers’ estrangement from their pastor? Possible answer: The villagers now fear Mr. Hooper and feel that he has brought his estrangement on himself.

for advanced learners/apAnalyze Tone Invite students to respond to one or both of these prompts:• Notice the narrator’s comments in lines

98–100 and 128–129. How sympathetic is the narrator to Mr. Hooper?

• Review the funeral scene and the wedding scene. What words establish the tone of each scene? Are the tones identical, related, or sharply different?

for english language learnersLanguage CoachTopically Related Words Possible answer: The mourners, who were sad their friend had died, approached her coffin, where they saw her corpse lying wrapped in its shroud. After the prayer, the bearers carried the coffin in a procession. Instruct students to reread lines 115–141 and iden-tify three words associated with a funeral.

d symbolPossible answer: Paraphrase: “The people shook, even though they barely under-stood him, when Mr. Hooper prayed that everyone might be ready for the moment of death, as he hoped this young woman had been ready. Her body was carried out, and the grieving people followed, with Mr. Hooper following.” Mr. Hooper’s reference could mean death or Judgment Day, when all human secrets will be revealed.

own the word• imbued: Inform students that imbued

refers to something that is “deeply influenced or inspired by” a concept. The word derives from the Latin imbuere, “to moisten or stain,” which gives a deeper meaning of something being saturated or permeated with inspiration.

• portend: Remind students that portend means “to serve as an omen of; to signify.” Synonyms include bode, forecast, fore-shadow, and foretell, all of which indicate something happening in advance. Have students write a sentence to show their understanding of the word. Possible answers: The heavy, dark clouds portend that our picnic will be rained out. The debate team’s positive spirit portends a victory at the competition.


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black crape, and dimmed the light of the candles. The bridal pair stood up before the minister. But the bride’s cold fingers quivered in the tremulous hand of the bridegroom, and her death-like paleness caused a whisper that the maiden who had been buried a few hours before was come from her grave to be married. If ever another wedding were so dismal, it was that famous one where they tolled the wedding knell.9 After performing the ceremony, Mr. Hooper raised a glass of wine to his lips, wishing happiness to the new-married couple, in a strain of mild pleasantry that ought to have brightened the features of the guests, like a cheerful gleam from the hearth. At that instant, catching a glimpse of his figure in the looking glass, the black veil involved his own spirit in the horror with which it overwhelmed all others. His frame shuddered—his lips grew white—he spilt the untasted wine upon the carpet—and rushed forth into the darkness. For the Earth, too, had on her Black Veil. e

The next day, the whole village of Milford talked of little else than Parson Hooper’s black veil. That, and the mystery concealed behind it, supplied a topic for discussion between acquaintances meeting in the street, and good women gossiping at their open windows. It was the first item of news that the tavern keeper told to his guests. The children babbled of it on their way to school. One imitative little imp covered his face with an old black handkerchief, thereby so affrighting his playmates that the panic seized himself, and he well-nigh lost his wits by his own waggery.10

It was remarkable that, of all the busybodies and impertinent people in the parish, not one ventured to put the plain question to Mr. Hooper, wherefore he did this thing. Hitherto, whenever there appeared the slightest call for such interference, he had never lacked advisers, nor shown himself averse to be guided by their judgment. If he erred at all, it was by so painful a degree of self-distrust that even the mildest censure would lead him to consider an indifferent action as a crime. Yet, though so well acquainted with this amiable weakness, no individual among his parishioners chose to make the black veil a subject of friendly remonstrance. There was a feeling of dread, neither plainly confessed nor carefully concealed, which caused each to shift the responsibility upon another, till at length it was found expedient to send a deputation to the church, in order to deal with Mr. Hooper about the mystery, before it should grow into a scandal. Never did an embassy so ill discharge its duties. The minister received them with friendly courtesy, but became silent, after they were seated, leaving to his visitors the whole burden of introducing their important business. The topic, it might be supposed, was obvious enough. There was the black veil, swathed round Mr. Hooper’s forehead, and concealing every feature above his placid mouth, on which, at times, they could perceive the glimmering of a melancholy smile. But that piece of crape, to their imagination, seemed to hang down before his heart, the symbol of a fearful secret between him and them. Were the veil but cast aside, they might speak freely of it, but not till then. Thus they sat a considerable time, speechless,

9. If . . . the wedding knell: a reference to “The Wedding Knell,” a story by Hawthorne in which a bell-tolling appropriate for a funeral is sounded at a wedding.

10. waggery: mischievous merriment.

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tremulous (trDmPyE-lEs) adj. trembling; quivering

e SYMBOLAt this point in the story, note how the minister’s veil has changed the way others react to him. Reactions to a veil or mask have been a part of mythic stories in every age and culture. The characters in ancient Greek plays were represented on stage by actors wearing different masks. This allowed male actors to also play female roles. Masks in African myths like the Epic of Sundiata were believed to be the place where spirits were created. What reaction or belief does the veil or mask generate here? Cite details from lines 159–166 to support your response.

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tiered discussion promptsIn lines 175–199, use these prompts to help students grasp the changed relationship between Mr. Hooper and the people of Milford:

Summarize Thus far, what has been the general reaction to Mr. Hooper’s altered appearance? Possible answer: People seem confused by it and somewhat fearful of it.Analyze Why is it significant that “the busybodies and impertinent people in the parish” (lines 175–176) do not ask Mr. Hooper why he wears the veil? Possible answer: The fact is significant because these are the people who have not hesitated to raise ques-tions in the past (lines 177–179). Their silence now reflects their fear.

for struggling readersCharacterization Have students reread lines 177–183; then discuss these questions to help them characterize Mr. Hooper:• Does Mr. Hooper have a reputation for

being unwilling to take advice?• Does he take making mistakes lightly?• Therefore, do you see him as the kind of

person who would make a decision (such as wearing a black veil) easily or carelessly?

for english language learnersVocabulary: Outdated Forms Ask students to record these outdated terms and their mean-ings in a Two-Column Chart. Then have them reread the lines, substituting the definitions for these terms.• affrighting (line 173), “frightening”• ill (line 187), “poorly”• suffer (line 220), “allow”• do away (line 232), “stop; end”• abroad (line 234), “circulating”

e symbolHave students name movie characters who have worn masks and explain what these masks symbolized. What clues in the mask itself revealed character traits? Pos-sible answer: In this story the veil generates dread and fear in the observers and in the wearer, as well. Catching sight of himself, Hooper becomes overwhelmed with horror.Extend the Discussion Discuss with students the roles that masks or veils play in today’s society, such as on Halloween, in weddings or other religious ceremonies.

own the wordtremulous: Have students rewrite the sentence with tremulous, replacing it with a synonym.


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confused, and shrinking uneasily from Mr. Hooper’s eye, which they felt to be fixed upon them with an invisible glance. Finally, the deputies returned abashed to their constituents, pronouncing the matter too weighty to be handled, except by a council of the churches, if, indeed, it might not require a general synod.11 f

But there was one person in the village unappalled by the awe with which the black veil had impressed all beside herself. When the deputies returned without an explanation, or even venturing to demand one, she, with the calm energy of her character, determined to chase away the strange cloud that appeared to be settling round Mr. Hooper, every moment more darkly than before. As his plighted wife,12

it should be her privilege to know what the black veil concealed. At the minister’s first visit, therefore, she entered upon the subject, with a direct simplicity, which made the task easier both for him and her. After he had seated himself, she fixed her eyes steadfastly upon the veil, but could discern nothing of the dreadful gloom that had so overawed the multitude: it was but a double fold of crape, hanging down from his forehead to his mouth, and slightly stirring with his breath. g

“No,” said she aloud, and smiling, “there is nothing terrible in this piece of crape except that it hides a face which I am always glad to look upon. Come, good sir, let the sun shine from behind the cloud. First lay aside your black veil: then tell me why you put it on.”

Mr. Hooper’s smile glimmered faintly.“There is an hour to come,” said he, “when all of us shall cast aside our veils.

Take it not amiss, beloved friend, if I wear this piece of crape till then.”“Your words are a mystery too,” returned the young lady. “Take away the veil

from them, at least.”“Elizabeth, I will,” said he, “so far as my vow may suffer me. Know, then, this

veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No mortal eye will see it withdrawn. This dismal shade must separate me from the world: even you, Elizabeth, can never come behind it!”

“What grievous affliction hath befallen you,” she earnestly inquired, “that you should thus darken your eyes forever?”

“If it be a sign of mourning,” replied Mr. Hooper, “I, perhaps, like most other mortals, have sorrows dark enough to be typified by a black veil.”

“But what if the world will not believe that it is the type of an innocent sorrow?” urged Elizabeth. “Beloved and respected as you are, there may be whispers that you hide your face under the consciousness of secret sin. For the sake of your holy office, do away this scandal!”

The color rose into her cheeks, as she intimated the nature of the rumors that were already abroad in the village. But Mr. Hooper’s mildness did not forsake him. He even smiled again—that same sad smile, which always appeared like a faint glimmering of light proceeding from the obscurity beneath the veil.

“If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough,” he merely replied; “and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?”

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11. a general synod: a meeting of the governing body of the churches. 12. plighted wife: fiancée.

f CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICSParaphrase lines 175–199. Explain what motivates the parishioners to confront Mr. Hooper. What do their fears reveal about Puritan culture?

g SYMBOLReread lines 200–210. Contrast the response of the minister’s fiancée to the veil with the responses of the other villagers. What might explain the difference in her response?




for struggling readersDevelop Reading Fluency Read aloud the con-versation between Mr. Hooper and Elizabeth in lines 211–238. Next have students reread the passage. Remind them that quotation marks indicate when a character is speaking. Have students take turns reading the passage aloud to a partner. Conclude by calling on students to read the conversation to the class.

for advanced learners/apAnalyze Character Mr. Hooper’s conversation with Elizabeth is the first time that readers learn about Mr. Hooper from his own words instead of from the narrator’s comments or the parishioners’ dialogue. Readers also learn about Elizabeth in this conversation. Instruct students to reread the interaction between Elizabeth and Mr. Hooper (lines 200–259) and to fill out a Character Traits and Textual Evidence chart for each character. Then have

them use their notes to write a brief essay that addresses these questions:• What insight into Mr. Hooper’s character

does his explanation of the veil provide?• Does Hawthorne expect readers to agree

with Elizabeth’s final response to Mr. Hooper? Explain.

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—TransparencyCharacter Traits and Textual Evidence p. D6

f cultural characteristics

Possible answer: Paraphrase: With all of these gossips around, it was surprising that no one bothered to ask Mr. Hooper why he wore the veil. People had never been shy about offering him advice before. He was so given to feelings of guilt that the slightest criticism could make him feel as if he’d done something terrible. Although everyone knew this about him, no one said anything. Finally, they sent a group to visit Mr. Hooper, lest his behavior grow into a scandal. Their fears suggest that features of Puritan culture include a discomfort about things that are different, a worry about scandal, and a superstitious nature.

g symbolPossible answer: Elizabeth does not share the other villagers’ fear of the veil (lines 208–209); she confronts Mr. Hooper directly about it (lines 206–207), unlike the parishioners, who never ask him. Eliza-beth probably reacts differently because she loves him and because, as his fiancée, she knows him better than others do.


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Portrait of Alice Irene Harvey (1912), Mark Gertler. Oil on canvas, 60.9 cm × 50.8 cm. © Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds, United Kingdom/Bridgeman Art Library.

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others. A third interpretation is that the wearing of the veil is itself the minister’s sin—Hooper’s prideful obsession with an idea has warped his life and hurt others. Yet another interpretation is that Hawthorne does not intend readers to uncover the mean-ing of the veil. His story is about conceal-ment, and the meaning of the veil is part of what is concealed. Have groups debate these interpretations, citing textual evidence for and against each view.





And with this gentle but unconquerable obstinacy did he resist all her entreaties. At length Elizabeth sat silent. For a few moments she appeared lost in thought, considering, probably, what new methods might be tried to withdraw her lover from so dark a fantasy, which, if it had no other meaning, was perhaps a symptom of mental disease. Though of a firmer character than his own, the tears rolled down her cheeks. But, in an instant, as it were, a new feeling took the place of sorrow: her eyes were fixed insensibly on the black veil, when, like a sudden twilight in the air, its terrors fell around her. She arose, and stood trembling before him.

“And do you feel it then at last?” said he mournfully.She made no reply, but covered her eyes with her hand, and turned to leave

the room. He rushed forward and caught her arm.“Have patience with me, Elizabeth!” cried he passionately. “Do not desert

me, though this veil must be between us here on earth. Be mine, and hereafter there shall be no veil over my face, no darkness between our souls! It is but a mortal veil—it is not for eternity! Oh! you know not how lonely I am, and how frightened to be alone behind my black veil. Do not leave me in this miserable obscurity forever!”

“Lift the veil but once, and look me in the face,” said she.“Never! It cannot be!” replied Mr. Hooper.“Then, farewell!” said Elizabeth.She withdrew her arm from his grasp and slowly departed, pausing at the door

to give one long, shuddering gaze that seemed almost to penetrate the mystery of the black veil. But even amid his grief, Mr. Hooper smiled to think that only a material emblem had separated him from happiness, though the horrors which it shadowed forth must be drawn darkly between the fondest of lovers.

From that time no attempts were made to remove Mr. Hooper’s black veil or, by a direct appeal, to discover the secret which it was supposed to hide. By persons who claimed a superiority to popular prejudice, it was reckoned merely an eccentric whim, such as often mingles with the sober actions of men otherwise rational, and tinges them all with its own semblance of insanity. But with the multitude, good Mr. Hooper was irreparably a bugbear.13 He could not walk the streets with any peace of mind, so conscious was he that the gentle and timid would turn aside to avoid him, and that others would make it a point of hardihood to throw themselves in his way. The impertinence of the latter class compelled him to give up his customary walk, at sunset, to the burial ground, for when he leaned pensively over the gate, there would always be faces behind the gravestones, peeping at his black veil. A fable went the rounds that the stare of the dead people drove him thence. It grieved him to the very depth of his kind heart to observe how the children fled from his approach, breaking up their merriest sports, while his melancholy figure was yet afar off. Their instinctive dread caused him to feel, more strongly than aught else, that a preternatural horror was interwoven with the threads of

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13. bugbear: a source of dread or fear.

preternatural (prCQtEr-nBchPEr-El) adj. supernatural

Analyze VisualsIn what ways does the woman depicted in the painting on the opposite page reflect the character of Elizabeth as described in lines 240–244? What could the woman’s white dress symbolize?


Targeted Passage3

V O C A B U L A R Y

Analyze VisualsPossible answer: The woman in the painting reflects the sadness and inner reflection that Elizabeth experiences in the scene. Her white dress could symbolize innocence or purity of thought and action.

revisit the big QUESTIONHow does someone become aSTRANGER?Discuss In lines 248–258, what do Mr. Hooper’s comments to Elizabeth suggest about his will-ingness to experience estrangement? Explain your answer. Possible answer: His comments suggest that his estrangement is a reluctant one. He is not happy about how the veil makes him feel (line 248), and he begs Elizabeth not to abandon him (lines 251–252). It is as if Mr. Hooper sincerely regrets the estrangement that the veil causes, yet he feels compelled to wear it, regardless of the professional or per-sonal cost.

own the wordpreternatural: Tell students that preter-natural stems from the Latin word meaning “beyond nature” and is defined as being “supernatural.” Ask students to explain why they think the author used this word in the phrase, “. . . that a preternatural horror was interwoven with the threads of the black crepe.” Possible answer: Wearing the black veil was frightening and confusing to the people around the minister, and since he did not explain why he wore it nor removed it, or seemed to not be able to take it off, people felt that an evil or supernatural force was at work.


This passage, a narrative turning point, magnifies story conflicts.• When does Mr. Hooper realize that Eliza-

beth now fears him, too? (line 248)? • What does Mr. Hooper ask of Elizabeth?

What does she ask of him? (lines 251–257)

• Why does Elizabeth leave? According to the narrator, why is her departure important? (lines 260–266)

Summarize Have students reread lines 266–270 and then summarize the two ways in which the villagers now explain Mr. Hooper and his black veil. Ask students to identify the opinion that they agree with and to defend their view.


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the black crape. In truth, his own antipathy to the veil was known to be so great that he never willingly passed before a mirror, nor stooped to drink at a still fountain, lest, in its peaceful bosom, he should be affrighted by himself. This was what gave plausibility to the whispers that Mr. Hooper’s conscience tortured him for some great crime too horrible to be entirely concealed, or otherwise than so obscurely intimated. Thus, from beneath the black veil there rolled a cloud into the sunshine, an ambiguity of sin or sorrow, which enveloped the poor minister, so that love or sympathy could never reach him. It was said that ghost and fiend consorted with him there. With self-shudderings and outward terrors, he walked continually in its shadow, groping darkly within his own soul, or gazing through a medium that saddened the whole world. Even the lawless wind, it was believed, respected his dreadful secret, and never blew aside the veil. But still good Mr. Hooper sadly smiled at the pale visages of the worldly throng as he passed by.

Among all its bad influences, the black veil had the one desirable effect, of making its wearer a very efficient clergyman. By the aid of his mysterious emblem—for there was no other apparent cause—he became a man of awful power, over souls that were in agony for sin. His converts always regarded him with a dread peculiar to themselves, affirming, though but figuratively, that before he brought them to celestial light, they had been with him behind the black veil. Its gloom, indeed, enabled him to sympathize with all dark affections. Dying sinners cried aloud for Mr. Hooper, and would not yield their breath till he appeared; though ever, as he stooped to whisper consolation, they shuddered at the veiled face so near their own. Such were the terrors of the black veil, even when Death had bared his visage! Strangers came long distances to attend service at his church, with the mere idle purpose of gazing at his figure, because it was forbidden them to behold his face. But many were made to quake ere they departed! Once, during Governor Belcher’s14 administration, Mr. Hooper was appointed to preach the election sermon. Covered with his black veil, he stood before the chief magistrate, the council, and the representatives, and wrought so deep an impression that the legislative measures of that year were characterized by all the gloom and piety of our earliest ancestral sway. 15 h

In this manner Mr. Hooper spent a long life, irreproachable in outward act, yet shrouded in dismal suspicions; kind and loving, though unloved, and dimly feared; a man apart from men, shunned in their health and joy, but ever summoned to their aid in mortal anguish. As years wore on, shedding their snows above his sable veil, he acquired a name throughout the New England churches, and they called him Father Hooper. Nearly all his parishioners, who were of a mature age when he was settled, had been borne away by many a funeral: he had one congregation in the church, and a more crowded one in the churchyard; and having wrought so late into the evening, and done his work so well, it was now good Father Hooper’s turn to rest.

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14. Governor Belcher’s: referring to Governor Jonathan Belcher (1682–1757), colonial governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1730 to 1741, and later of New Jersey.

15. earliest ancestral sway: the Puritans who held power in 17th-century America.

h CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICSOnce Mr. Hooper is perceived to have intimate knowledge of sin, he becomes a famous and respected clergyman. Based on this fact, what would you conclude is the main concern of Puritan worshipers?

ambiguity (BmQbG-gyLPG-tC) n. unclearness; uncertainty

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for struggling readersParaphrase As students move into the final phase of the story, make sure they under-stand that Mr. Hooper continues to wear the veil in spite of his personal discomfort. Read aloud lines 281–283; then help students paraphrase it. Possible answer: Truthfully, he disliked the veil so much that he never intentionally passed by a mirror or stopped to drink at a fountain, because he did not want to scare himself.

for advanced learners/apHypothesize [small-group option] Point out the change from “Mr. Hooper” to “Father Hooper” (lines 315–317). Have students write a response to these questions and then com-pare their responses in small groups:• When the story opens, Mr. Hooper already

has the respect of his congregation. Why do you think that he does not receive the title of “Father” until late in his life?

• What might the change in title represent?

h Model the Skill: cultural characteristics

Help students evaluate cultural character-istics by asking them the following ques-tions: Why do you think that dying sinners want Mr. Hooper to come to them? What might they think that he can do for them?Possible answer: Readers can conclude that Puritan worshipers are very concerned with recognizing and dealing with sin.

own the wordambiguity: Remind students that ambigu-ity refers to a meaning or understanding that is “unclear or uncertain” and that could have more than one interpretation. The adjective form of the word is ambigu-ous. Synonyms include obscure, vague, and cryptic.

revisit the big QUESTIONHow does someone become aSTRANGER?Discuss In lines 294–311, how does Mr. Hooper’s estrangement, caused by the veil, actually help others? Explain the irony in this situation. Possible answer: The veil and the estrangement it causes make him a better minister; in particular, they seem to give him a power over people who are “in agony for sin” (line 297). The situation is ironic because the very estrangement that causes Mr. Hooper to suffer personally also enables him to help people, even people who are fearful of him (lines 301–304). The irony suggests that if Mr. Hooper had not experienced estrangement due to the black veil, he probably would not have become as effective a minister as he has.


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Several persons were visible by the shaded candlelight in the death chamber of the old clergyman. Natural connections16 he had none. But there was the decorously grave, though unmoved physician, seeking only to mitigate the last pangs of the patient whom he could not save. There were the deacons, and other eminently pious members of his church. There, also, was the Reverend Mr. Clark, of Westbury, a young and zealous divine, who had ridden in haste to pray by the bedside of the expiring minister. There was the nurse, no hired handmaiden of death, but one whose calm affection had endured thus long, in secrecy, in solitude, amid the chill of age, and would not perish, even at the dying hour. Who, but Elizabeth! And there lay the hoary head of good Father Hooper upon the death pillow, with the black veil still swathed about his brow and reaching down over his face, so that each more difficult gasp of his faint breath caused it to stir. All through life that piece of crape had hung between him and the world: it had separated him from cheerful brotherhood and woman’s love, and kept him in that saddest of all prisons, his own heart; and still it lay upon his face, as if to deepen the gloom of his darksome chamber, and shade him from the sunshine of eternity.

For some time previous, his mind had been confused, wavering doubtfully between the past and the present, and hovering forward, as it were, at intervals, into the indistinctness of the world to come. There had been feverish turns, which tossed him from side to side and wore away what little strength he had. But in the most convulsive struggles, and in the wildest vagaries of his intellect, when no other thought retained its sober influence, he still showed an awful solicitude lest the black veil should slip aside. Even if his bewildered soul could have forgotten, there was a faithful woman at his pillow, who, with averted eyes, would have covered that aged face, which she had last beheld in the comeliness of manhood. At length the death-stricken old man lay quietly in the torpor of mental and bodily exhaustion, with an imperceptible pulse, and breath that grew fainter and fainter, except when a long, deep, and irregular inspiration seemed to prelude the flight of his spirit.

The minister of Westbury approached the bedside.“Venerable Father Hooper,” said he, “the moment of your release is at hand.

Are you ready for the lifting of the veil, that shuts in time from eternity?”Father Hooper at first replied merely by a feeble motion of his head; then,

apprehensive, perhaps, that his meaning might be doubtful, he exerted himself to speak.

“Yea,” said he, in faint accents, “my soul hath a patient weariness until that veil be lifted.”

“And is it fitting,” resumed the Reverend Mr. Clark, “that a man so given to prayer, of such a blameless example, holy in deed and thought, so far as mortal judgment may pronounce; is it fitting that a father in the church should leave a shadow on his memory that may seem to blacken a life so pure? I pray you, my venerable brother, let not this thing be! Suffer us to be gladdened by your

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16. natural connections: relatives.

zealous (zDlPEs) adj. eager and enthusiastic


Targeted Passage4

tiered discussion promptsIn lines 333–357, use these prompts to introduce students to the story’s concluding deathbed scene:

Restate According to the narrator, what has wearing the black veil done to Mr. Hooper? Possible answer: Wearing the veil has kept him from having friends and from being married; in short, it has made him lonely.Interpret What do you learn about Eliza-beth from this passage? Possible answer: Elizabeth is willing to let Mr. Hooper die as he wishes instead of lifting the veil for a last look at the man she once hoped to marry. In fact, she would cover his face if the veil slipped, because she knows that it is what he would want (lines 344–346).Evaluate How well does the narrator strike a balance in showing both Mr. Hooper’s feebleness and his determination? Explain. Possible answer: The narrator effectively strikes a balance. He tells readers that Mr. Hooper is suffering from confusion and from debilitating bouts with fever (lines 338–341); but he also makes it clear that the one thought that Mr. Hooper retains, despite his weakness and discomfort, is that his veil not be removed (lines 341–344).

V O C A B U L A R Y

own the wordzealous: Tell students that zealous is the adjective form of the noun zeal, which means “eager and enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal.” Ask students to list things for which they might show zeal. Possible answer: political activity, people they love, sporting event or team, environ-mental cause


• Who speaks with the dying Mr. Hooper in these lines? What do we know about this person? (lines 350–352)

• What does Mr. Hooper tell him? To what “veil” is he referring? (lines 356–357)

• What reasons does Mr. Clark give Mr. Hooper for lifting the veil off his face? (lines 358–362)

Paraphrase Make sure students understand the loyalty and love that Elizabeth shows to Mr. Hooper in his last moments. Read aloud the full sentence that begins in line 344 and invite students to paraphrase it. Possible answer: Even if he was too confused to know to keep the veil on, Elizabeth would have looked away and covered his lined and wrinkled face, the face that she had last seen when he was a handsome young man.


L 4



triumphant aspect, as you go to your reward. Before the veil of eternity be lifted, let me cast aside this black veil from your face!”

And thus speaking, the Reverend Mr. Clark bent forward to reveal the mystery of so many years. But, exerting a sudden energy that made all the beholders stand aghast, Father Hooper snatched both his hands from beneath the bedclothes and pressed them strongly on the black veil, resolute to struggle, if the minister of Westbury would contend with a dying man.

“Never!” cried the veiled clergyman. “On earth, never!”“Dark old man!” exclaimed the affrighted minister, “with what horrible crime

upon your soul are you now passing to the judgment?”Father Hooper’s breath heaved; it rattled in his throat; but with a mighty effort,

grasping forward with his hands, he caught hold of life, and held it back till he should speak. He even raised himself in bed; and there he sat shivering, with the arms of death around him, while the black veil hung down, awful, at that last moment, in the gathered terrors of a lifetime. And yet the faint, sad smile, so often there, now seemed to glimmer from its obscurity, and linger on Father Hooper’s lips.

“Why do you tremble at me alone?” cried he, turning his veiled face round the circle of pale spectators. “Tremble also at each other! Have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for my black veil? What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful? When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! On every visage a Black Veil!” i

While his auditors shrank from one another, in mutual affright, Father Hooper fell back upon his pillow, a veiled corpse, with a faint smile lingering on his lips. Still veiled, they laid him in his coffin, and a veiled corpse they bore him to the grave. The grass of many years has sprung up and withered on that grave, the burial stone is moss-grown, and good Mr. Hooper’s face is dust; but awful is still the thought, that it mouldered beneath the Black Veil! !

370

380

390

i SYMBOLExplain Father Hooper’s reproach in lines 380–387. What do his comments suggest about the meaning of the veil?

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Targeted Passage5



revisit the big QUESTIONHow does someone become aSTRANGER?Discuss In lines 371–372, what does Mr. Clark’s comment imply about the cause for Mr. Hooper’s estrangement? What do you think is the cause? Possible answer: Mr. Clark’s comment suggests that Mr. Hooper wears the black veil to signify some terrible and secret sin—the implied cause for his estrangement. The real cause seems to be that the parishioners have judged him and have refused to examine themselves honestly.

selection wrap–upREAD WITH A PURPOSE Now that students have read the selection, ask them who finally convinces Father Hooper to remove the veil. Is Father Hooper’s final decision about the veil good or bad? Possible answer: No one; he is buried with the veil still covering his face. Accept any answers that students can justify.

CRITIQUE• Ask students whether or not the black veil

is an effective symbol. Have them back up their answer with textual evidence.

• After completing the After Reading ques-tions on page 483, have students revisit their responses and tell whether they have changed their opinions.


This concluding passage suggests a mean-ing for the veil and presents the narrator’s final commentary about it.• What does Mr. Hooper say that people

must do before they can call him a “monster”? (lines 382–385)

• What does he say that they hide? What does he say that they wear? (lines 385–387)

• What final image does the narrator pres-

ent? How does he feel about that image? (lines 390–393)

for english language learnersLanguage: Punctuation and Print Cues Point out the exclamation point in line 364 and explain that it indicates that Mr. Clark feels strongly about what he is asking Mr. Hooper to do. Have students discuss the use of exclamation points in lines 370, 371, 380, 386, and 387, and then in line 393. Discuss why exclamation points might be so promi-nent at the end of the story.

i symbolPossible answer: Father Hooper reproaches the villagers for making him an object of fear (lines 379–383), when the true cause of their fear has been their unwillingness to be honest about themselves with one another and with God (lines 383–387). His com-ment that everyone wears a Black Veil (lines 386–387) suggests that the veil represents the part of a person’s life that he or she tries to keep secret from others.


RL 1



After Reading

Comprehension 1. Recall What is the topic of the first sermon Mr. Hooper gives while wearing

the veil? 2. Recall What reason does Mr. Hooper give Elizabeth for wearing the veil? 3. Summarize As time goes by, how do Mr. Hooper’s relationships change?

Text Analysis 4. Identify Cultural Characteristics What does the story reveal about Puritan

religious beliefs, rules of behavior, and values and ideals?

5. Interpret Symbol Review the concept map you created as you read. Based on this information, what does the black veil represent? Explain your answer.

6. Examine Character Ambiguity The minister is an ambiguous character: he can be seen as an innocent victim of others’ fears or as a man driven to isolate himself, convinced of his own moral superiority. Identify at least two details that support each perspective. Which interpretation do you find more compelling? Give reasons for your answer.

7. Make Judgments About Character Motivations Mr. Hooper’s wearing of the black veil leads to his isolation from his congregation. Based on the following passages, what argument would you make about the real causes of the villagers’ discomfort in the minister’s presence?• the first sighting of the minister (lines 34–39) • parishioners’ comments after services (lines 105–113) • his arrival at the wedding (lines 147–152) • the attempt to confront him (lines 190–197)

Text Criticism 8. Biographical Context Reread the biography of Hawthorne on page 468.

Explain the personal motives that inspired Hawthorne’s critical portrayal of Puritan culture. In what ways might Mr. Hooper represent Hawthorne’s struggle with his own guilt?

How does someone become a stranger?In line 336, the narrator calls the human heart the “saddest of all prisons.” What does this mean? What does it suggest about our relationships with others?


RL 1 Cite evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL 3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story.

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Practice and ApplyFor preliminary support of post-reading questions, use these copy masters:

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MastersReading Check p. 226 Identify Cultural Characteristics p. 221 Question Support p. 227 Additional selection questions are provided for teachers on page 213.

answers 1. The sermon topic is secret sin. 2. Mr. Hooper never gives a straight answer,

but says that the veil is a symbol that he must always wear.

3. The first change is that Mr. Hooper goes from being respected and loved to being feared and avoided. Over time, however, people seek him out. They think that he is intimate with sin and therefore can help them deal with their own sins.

Possible answers: 4. common core focus Identify Cul-

tural Characteristics The story reveals the importance of Sunday worship (lines 1–9); the importance of rank (lines 92–98); the prevalence of gossip (lines 85–91 and 105–114) and superstition (lines 125–129 and 150–152); an obsession with sin (lines 73–78 and 230–232); and hypocrisy (lines 379–387). Students may suggest that some of these traits are not limited to Puritan culture.

5. common core focus Symbol The veil may be a symbol of sin. Mr. Hooper makes people feel that their wicked thoughts are known (lines 73–76 and 192–194). He implies such an interpretation in lines 227–228, 237–238, and 384–387.

6. Innocent victim: He remains a good, kind person; he begs Elizabeth not to leave him (lines 251–256). Arrogant isolationist: He chooses to wear the veil (lines 220–224); he refuses to offer a clear explanation of it (lines 220–240).

7. The villagers’ discomfort is caused by their own fears, which lead them to be intolerant of differences and to see sin and evil every-where.

8. Hawthorne was critical because he felt guilty about having a Puritan ancestor who was an intolerant persecutor. Mr. Hooper might represent Hawthorne’s struggle in that both are aware of flaws in Puritan culture but are unable to escape them.

How does someone become aSTRANGER? Possible answer: Loneliness is a prison. People have a tendency to isolate themselves from others.


RL 1, RL 3


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Vocabulary in Context vocabulary practice

Decide whether the words in each pair are synonyms or antonyms. 1. ostentatious/discreet 2. ambiguity/clarity 3. portend/predict 4. iniquity/vice 5. zealous/halfhearted 6. imbued/infused 7. preternatural/ordinary 8. tremulous/quaking

academic vocabulary in speaking

Appearance plays a powerful role in our society. With a partner, discuss whether you think someone’s appearance reveals his or her identity or conceals it, or both. Support your opinion with specific examples and try to use at least one Academic Vocabulary word in your discussion.

vocabulary strategy: the latin root ambi The vocabulary word ambiguity contains the Latin root ambi. This root, which can mean either “both” or “around,” can be found in many English words in all content areas, from science to philosophy. When you encounter the root ambi in a word, you can often use context clues to determine which meaning of the root is involved.

PRACTICE Choose the word from the word web that best completes each sentence. Consider what you know about the Latin root and the other word parts shown. If necessary, consult a dictionary. 1. Because Peter was _____, he could write with either hand. 2. Their home had a pleasant and gracious _____. 3. Beth was_____ about joining the group and could not make

up her mind. 4. The ____ of their property extends to that line of trees. 5. The _____ temperature in the room was too warm to preserve

the specimens.

• construct • expand • indicate • reinforce • role

word listambiguity imbued iniquityostentatiousportendpreternaturaltremulous zealous

ambit

ambidextrous

ambianceambient

ambivalent

ambi

ambiguity

Go to thinkcentral.com.KEYWORD: HML11-484

InteractiveVocabulary


L 4b Identify and use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech. L 6 Acquire and use academic words and phrases.

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answersVocabulary in Context

vocabulary practice 1. antonyms 5. antonyms 2. antonyms 6. synonyms 3. synonyms 7. antonyms 4. synonyms 8. synonyms

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Practice p. 224

academic vocabulary in speakingAnswers will vary. Students should support their opinions with specific examples, and include at least one academic vocabulary word in their discussions.

vocabulary strategy: the latin root ambiFor each item, help students use their knowl-edge of the root, suffixes (which identify the part of speech needed), and context clues to choose the correct word.Answers:

1. ambidextrous 4. ambit2. ambiance 5. ambient3. ambivalent

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Strategy p. 225

Assess and ReteachAssessDIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION TESTS

Selection Test A pp. 145–146Selection Test B/C pp. 147–184

Interactive Selection Test on thinkcentral.comReteachLevel Up Online Tutorials on thinkcentral.com

for english language learnersTask Support: Vocabulary Strategy [small-group option] Have small groups work with a dictionary to locate the etymology of each word in the word web. Help them create a very literal definition for each word, based on the meaning of ambi. (For example, students might define ambidextrous as “both right-handed” and ambiance as “aroundness.”)

for advanced learners/apVocabulary in Writing Ask students to assume the role of Mr. Hooper and write a journal entry that describes how he feels about his break-up with Elizabeth. Ask them to use at least four of the vocabulary words in their entry. Encourage students to share their journal entries and to compare them to the entries written from Elizabeth’s perspective.

Keywords direct students to a WordSharp tutorial on thinkcentral.com or to other types of vocabulary practice and review.

Interactive Vocabulary


L 4b, L 6


Wrap-Up: American Gothic

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The Gothic Perspective Although the romantic period was mostly characterized by a feeling of optimism, American gothic literature showed a fascination with the dark side of human nature. Sin, deception, hedonism, guilt, death—all are subjects upon which gothic writers based their dark tales, as illustrated beautifully in this excerpt from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death.”

“The ‘Red Death’ had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avatar and its seal—the redness and horror of blood. There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. . . .

But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and lighthearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his castellated abbeys.”

Literary critic Paul Zweig has a few words to say about the importance of Poe’s dark perspective.

“Poe’s achievement . . . was to give literary expression to the dread that haunted America’s dream of success in the 19th century. If anything was possible in this land of wealth and change, then personal failure, even simple unhappiness, was obscene, a skeleton in the cellar of democracy.”

Writing to Analyze Nathaniel Hawthorne is also a master of the gothic genre. Do you think Zweig’s comments about Poe can apply to Hawthorne’s work as well? Write a brief response, citing evidence from “The Minister’s Black Veil” to support your opinion. Consider• characters’ personal failings• characters’ unhappiness or fears• the message you take away from the story

© Gary Kelley, 1996.

ExtensionSPEAKING & LISTENING Although Poe and Hawthorne both wrote gothic literature, the nature of their work differs quite a bit. While Poe was the master of supernatural horror, Hawthorne focused on more everyday, realistic fears. With your classmates, discuss what frightens you more—the fantastic or the realistic?

W 2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of content. SL 1 Participate in a range of collaborative discussions.

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for struggling writersWriting Support Help students paraphrase Zweig’s comments, making sure that they understand these words and phrases:• to give literary expression to, “to write

about”• dread, “intense fear”• obscene, “offensive; disgusting”• a skeleton in the cellar, “something that is

terrible and that should be kept hidden”

Elicit that Zweig is saying that Americans felt that their personal failures and unhappi-ness should be hidden as potential sources of shame in a society that valued success above all else. Also help students write a thesis statement, such as “Zweig’s comments apply not only to Poe but also to Hawthorne. In ‘The Minister’s Black Veil,’ the characters. . . .”

W 2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of content. SL 1 Participate in a range of collaborative discussions.

Wrap-Up: American GothicThis Wrap-Up provides students with the opportunity to revisit the major ideas of gothic literature and to compare two gothic writers. Encourage students to examine their own views about the subjects that gothic writers frequently explored.

Writing to Analyze• Remind students that analyzing involves ex-

amining complex things. In analytical writ-ing, students discuss elements of a complex idea (noted in this feature by the bulleted list under Consider) as they support a general determination (a main idea) about the topic.

• To help students plan and write the essay, have them first paraphrase and discuss Zweig’s statement. Then suggest that they focus on the words dread and failure in the statement and think about how both words reflect the “dark side” in gothic writ-ing. Have students jot down their thoughts about each word in the context of “The Min-ister’s Black Veil” and then relate each note to one of the three bulleted considerations in the prompt.

Extension• Before students enter into discussion, have

them summarize what they consider to be the most frightening but realistic parts of “The Minister’s Black Veil” and the most frightening and supernatural elements of the Poe selections that they read.

• Ask students to discuss which selection frightened them the most and why. Then have them answer the discussion question.

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