Short StoriesShort Stories

Monday Aug. 29Monday Aug. 29

AgendaAgenda

ThinkerThinkerBegin Begin Minister’s Black VeilMinister’s Black VeilHomeworkHomework

ThinkerThinker

Write a paragraph about someone Write a paragraph about someone who is two faced. Show how they who is two faced. Show how they have two sided.have two sided.

Introducing the Story

Literary Focus: Symbol

Reading Skills: Drawing Inferences

The Minister's Black Veil The Minister's Black Veil byby Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne

There is the fear that we shan’t prove worthy in the eyes of someone who knows us at least as well as we know ourselves. . . .

Robert Frost (1874–1963)

The Minister's Black Veil The Minister's Black Veil byby Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne

Although he struggled both creatively and financially, Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) earned recognition as a writer and the admiration of his contemporaries. Yet his dark insights into the human heart seemed to reflect an inner gloom that he never overcame.

More About the Writer

The Minister's Black VeilThe Minister's Black Veil Meet the WriterMeet the Writer

Like much of Hawthorne’s best work, this story is set in the time of his Puritan ancestors, an era he said was noted for its gloom and piety.

According to Hawthorne, the black veil—although not its meaning in the story—is based on the eccentricity of a real person.

• A New England clergyman named Mr. Joseph Moody accidentally killed a beloved friend.

• From that day until his death, he hid his face from other people.

The Minister's Black VeilThe Minister's Black Veil BackgroundBackground

PuritanismPuritanism

Puritans believed that belief in Jesus and Puritans believed that belief in Jesus and participation in the sacraments could not participation in the sacraments could not alone effect one's salvation. alone effect one's salvation.

Believed in severe punishment for sinning.Believed in severe punishment for sinning. Life should revolve around religion and the Life should revolve around religion and the

reading of the Bible and the interpretation reading of the Bible and the interpretation of it.of it.

No one should call attention to No one should call attention to themselves, neither in life or worship…did themselves, neither in life or worship…did not use candles or symbols in their not use candles or symbols in their services.services.

Mr. Hooper, a young Puritan clergyman, shocks his congregation by appearing at the church one Sunday in a black veil.

• Why, the people wonder fearfully, is their minister hiding his face?

• Is the veil related to the topic of Mr. Hooper’s sermon—secret sin?

The Minister's Black Veil The Minister's Black Veil byby Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne

A symbol is something that

• has meaning in itself

• also stands for something beyond itself

peacepassage of time

love

The Minister's Black VeilThe Minister's Black Veil Literary Focus: SymbolLiterary Focus: Symbol

Hawthorne’s central symbol in this story is a black veil.

Notice how Hawthorne’s descriptions of the veil suggest its symbolic importance.

“horrible”

“gloomy shade”

“mysterious emblem”

The Minister's Black VeilThe Minister's Black Veil Literary Focus: SymbolLiterary Focus: Symbol

When you read a story, you make inferences about characters and events.

An inference is an educated guess based on

• clues in the text

• your own knowledge and experience

The Minister's Black VeilThe Minister's Black Veil Reading Skills: Drawing InferencesReading Skills: Drawing Inferences

Hawthorne’s subtitle, “A Parable,” indicates the importance of the story’s moral theme.

A parable is a short, usually simple story

• based on events from ordinary life

• containing a moral lesson

The Minister's Black VeilThe Minister's Black Veil BackgroundBackground

One of the most famous parables is that of the Good Samaritan, who stops and helps a stranger who has been robbed and beaten. Today we still call caring strangers good Samaritans.

Famous Parables

The Minister's Black VeilThe Minister's Black Veil BackgroundBackground

The Good Samaritan by Vincent van Gogh, after Delacroix

““Poe called the work a ‘masterly Poe called the work a ‘masterly composition,’ but suggested that only composition,’ but suggested that only the most sensitive readers would be the most sensitive readers would be able to glean the true import of the able to glean the true import of the narrative and see beyond the obvious narrative and see beyond the obvious moral of the story.”moral of the story.”

PromptPromptIn what ways do you wear a black In what ways do you wear a black

veil?veil?