Short StoriesShort Stories“The Minister’s Black Veil”“The Minister’s Black Veil”

by Nathaniel Hawthorneby Nathaniel Hawthorne

English IIIEnglish III

CHSCHS

C. EdgeC. Edge

About the AuthorAbout the Author

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathanielhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne_Hawthorne

VocabularyVocabulary Perturbation – n. agitation; anxiety; uneasinessPerturbation – n. agitation; anxiety; uneasiness Venerable – adj. deserving respect because of Venerable – adj. deserving respect because of

age, character, or positionage, character, or position Iniquity – n. sinIniquity – n. sin Sagacious – adj. having or showing wisdom Sagacious – adj. having or showing wisdom

and keen perceptionsand keen perceptions Irreproachable – adj. free from blame; faultlessIrreproachable – adj. free from blame; faultless Zealous – adj. filled with enthusiastic devotion; Zealous – adj. filled with enthusiastic devotion;

passionatepassionate Torpor – n. a state of being unable to move or Torpor – n. a state of being unable to move or

feelfeel

Literary TermsLiterary Terms Short storyShort story – a brief prose narrative that usually – a brief prose narrative that usually

can be read in one sitting, generally including the can be read in one sitting, generally including the following elements:following elements: SettingSetting – the time and place in which the events occur – the time and place in which the events occur CharactersCharacters – the participants in the author’s story – the participants in the author’s story

ProtagonistProtagonist – the main character – the main character AntagonistAntagonist – a character in conflict with the protagonist – a character in conflict with the protagonist

Point of viewPoint of view – the perspective of the storyteller, or – the perspective of the storyteller, or narratornarrator

ThemeTheme – the central message of the story that readers – the central message of the story that readers can apply to life (may be stated clearly or inferred)can apply to life (may be stated clearly or inferred)

PlotPlot – the sequence of related events in a story (most – the sequence of related events in a story (most plots develop around a conflict, a struggle between plots develop around a conflict, a struggle between opposing forces)opposing forces)

SettingSetting

Identify the setting of the story.Identify the setting of the story.

CharacterCharacter

Identify the protagonist.Identify the protagonist.

Identify the antagonist if one exists.Identify the antagonist if one exists.

Point of ViewPoint of View

What point of view is the story told What point of view is the story told from?from?

How does this affect your knowledge How does this affect your knowledge of events in the story?of events in the story?

ThemeTheme

Identify a possible theme for this Identify a possible theme for this story. Explain.story. Explain.

PlotPlot

Summarize the story’s main events Summarize the story’s main events in chronological order.in chronological order.

Other Literary Terms discussedOther Literary Terms discussed ForeshadowingForeshadowing – the use of clues by the – the use of clues by the

author to prepare readers for events that will author to prepare readers for events that will happen later in a story.happen later in a story.

ToneTone – a reflection of the writer’s or – a reflection of the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject matterspeaker’s attitude toward the subject matter

MotifMotif – a significant phrase, image, – a significant phrase, image, description, idea, or other element repeated description, idea, or other element repeated throughout a literary work and related to the throughout a literary work and related to the theme theme

Imagery Imagery – the “word pictures” that writers – the “word pictures” that writers create to evoke an emotional responsecreate to evoke an emotional response

ParallelismParallelism – the use of a series of words, – the use of a series of words, phrases, or sentences that have similar phrases, or sentences that have similar grammatical formgrammatical form

ForeshadowingForeshadowing

How does the author foreshadow the How does the author foreshadow the change in attitude of the parishioners change in attitude of the parishioners toward Mr. Hooper?toward Mr. Hooper?

ToneTone

The tone of this selection is The tone of this selection is ambigious, meaning that there are a ambigious, meaning that there are a number of possible tones the reader number of possible tones the reader might identify. What do you see in might identify. What do you see in this selection?this selection?

MotifMotif

What example of a motif can you What example of a motif can you identify in this selection?identify in this selection?

How does it connect to the theme?How does it connect to the theme?

ImageryImagery

Identify some images in this Identify some images in this selection that are impressive to you. selection that are impressive to you. How do they impact you as the How do they impact you as the reader?reader?

ParallelismParallelism

Identify parallelism in this selection Identify parallelism in this selection and explain what is emphasized by it.and explain what is emphasized by it.

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#1#1

How do the people react when they How do the people react when they see Mr. Hooper wearing the veil?see Mr. Hooper wearing the veil?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#2#2

What is the subject of Mr. Hooper’s What is the subject of Mr. Hooper’s sermon on the first day he wears the sermon on the first day he wears the black veil?black veil?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#3#3

What reasons does Mr. Hooper give What reasons does Mr. Hooper give for refusing to remove the veil for his for refusing to remove the veil for his fiancee, Elizabeth?fiancee, Elizabeth?

How does she react?How does she react?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#4#4

How does Mr. Hooper’s life change as How does Mr. Hooper’s life change as he continues to wear the veil?he continues to wear the veil?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#5#5

What does Mr. Hooper say on his What does Mr. Hooper say on his deathbed about veils?deathbed about veils?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#6#6

Why might the veil affect the Why might the veil affect the parishioners as it does?parishioners as it does?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#7#7

What do you think is the connection What do you think is the connection between the veil and the between the veil and the congregation’s interpretation of Mr. congregation’s interpretation of Mr. Hooper’s sermon? Explain.Hooper’s sermon? Explain.

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#8#8

Why might Elizabeth react as she Why might Elizabeth react as she does when Mr. Hooper refuses to does when Mr. Hooper refuses to remove the veil for her?remove the veil for her?

How does this show her feelings for How does this show her feelings for him?him?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#9#9

Why do you think Mr. Hooper refuses Why do you think Mr. Hooper refuses to remove his veil over the course of to remove his veil over the course of his life? his life?

What does this tell you about his What does this tell you about his character?character?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#10#10

What might Mr. Hooper’s black veil What might Mr. Hooper’s black veil represent for him? Explain.represent for him? Explain.

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#11#11

Why do you think Hawthorne chose Why do you think Hawthorne chose not to explain why Mr. Hooper wears not to explain why Mr. Hooper wears the veil?the veil?

How does this secret contribute to How does this secret contribute to the story?the story?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#12#12

Compare Mr. Hooper’s parishioners Compare Mr. Hooper’s parishioners to people in your community today. to people in your community today. How might people in your community How might people in your community respond to the veil?respond to the veil?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#13#13

The story is told from the third-The story is told from the third-person point of view. How does the person point of view. How does the point of view affect the drama of the point of view affect the drama of the story? How might the story have story? How might the story have been different if told from another been different if told from another point of view?point of view?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#14#14

Something that foreshadows an Something that foreshadows an event gives a clue to that event event gives a clue to that event before it happens. What before it happens. What foreshadows Mr. Hooper’s deathbed foreshadows Mr. Hooper’s deathbed scene?scene?

Responding to Literature, p. 276Responding to Literature, p. 276#15#15

If you had been Mr. Hooper, would If you had been Mr. Hooper, would you have given your reason for you have given your reason for wearing the black veil? Explain.wearing the black veil? Explain.

Literary Elements, p. 276Literary Elements, p. 276

List the main events of this short List the main events of this short story.story.

What is the conflict?What is the conflict?

Literary Elements, p. 276Literary Elements, p. 276

What is the setting of “The Minister’s What is the setting of “The Minister’s Black Veil”?Black Veil”?

Explain how the setting is important Explain how the setting is important to the story.to the story.

Writing About Literature, p. 277Writing About Literature, p. 277

Analyzing a ParableAnalyzing a Parable:“The Minister’s :“The Minister’s Black Veil” is a parable, a story that Black Veil” is a parable, a story that illustrates a moral lesson. In three illustrates a moral lesson. In three paragraphs, discuss the development of paragraphs, discuss the development of the parable. First, explain the lesson the parable. First, explain the lesson this parable conveys. Then explain how this parable conveys. Then explain how the story illustrates the lesson. Finally, the story illustrates the lesson. Finally, state your opinion of Hawthorne’s state your opinion of Hawthorne’s success in communicating this lesson.success in communicating this lesson.