““The Minister’s Black The Minister’s Black Veil”Veil”

by Nathaniel Hawthorneby Nathaniel Hawthorne

ObjectivesObjectives

To develop vocabulary and word To develop vocabulary and word identification skillsidentification skills

To use a variety of reading strategies to To use a variety of reading strategies to comprehend a short storycomprehend a short story

To increase knowledge of other cultures and To increase knowledge of other cultures and to connect common elements across culturesto connect common elements across cultures

To express and support responses to the textTo express and support responses to the text To analyze literary elementsTo analyze literary elements To increase knowledge of the rules of To increase knowledge of the rules of

grammar and languagegrammar and language

Are you afraid of masks?Are you afraid of masks?

Is it the mask that you fear…Is it the mask that you fear…

……or what the mask hides?or what the mask hides?

Focus:Focus:

““Shadows of the Imagination”Shadows of the Imagination”

This story takes place in a gloomy world This story takes place in a gloomy world inhabited by people haunted by guilt. What inhabited by people haunted by guilt. What role does imagination play in the story? Are role does imagination play in the story? Are the people in the story victims of their own the people in the story victims of their own imaginations?imaginations?

Write the following.Write the following.

A quiz is forthcoming.A quiz is forthcoming.

AllegoryAllegory

A work of literature in A work of literature in which events which events characters, and detail characters, and detail of setting have a of setting have a symbolic meaning.symbolic meaning.

A character in an A character in an allegory may personify allegory may personify a single human trait.a single human trait.

Story is intended to be Story is intended to be read on two levelsread on two levels LiteralLiteral FigurativeFigurative

A relatively short story A relatively short story that teaches a moral that teaches a moral or lesson about how to or lesson about how to lead a good lifelead a good life

Appear mostly in the Appear mostly in the Bible (told by Jesus)Bible (told by Jesus)

ParableParable

Author’s MessageAuthor’s Message Consider new Consider new

perspectivesperspectives Author’s depicts Author’s depicts

his/her views on lifehis/her views on life Message should be Message should be

compared with own compared with own experiencesexperiences

Point is not to agree or Point is not to agree or disagree, but to think, disagree, but to think, relate, and hopefully relate, and hopefully understandunderstand

Parables teach moral Parables teach moral or religious lessonsor religious lessons

TechniquesTechniques

Symbolism-Symbolism- The black veil symbolizes all of the The black veil symbolizes all of the Puritan superstitions. It represents all the evil and Puritan superstitions. It represents all the evil and troubles in the world. To Puritans it was seen as a troubles in the world. To Puritans it was seen as a symbol of the devil. It was also seen as all that is symbol of the devil. It was also seen as all that is unknown in the world; a mystery to the people.unknown in the world; a mystery to the people.

RhetoricalRhetorical Question-Question- Hawthorne uses this to further Hawthorne uses this to further emphasis his point. In the story he wants to show emphasis his point. In the story he wants to show Hooper as a man who can not bear to go without the Hooper as a man who can not bear to go without the veil, "Could Mr. Hooper be fearful of her glance, that he veil, "Could Mr. Hooper be fearful of her glance, that he so hastily caught back the black veil?" In this quote it so hastily caught back the black veil?" In this quote it shows that he is afraid that even a dead person will see shows that he is afraid that even a dead person will see his face.his face.

TechniquesTechniques

Personification- This is another technique used to give the veil human-like qualities. It makes the veil almost have a personality which strengthens the mystery and fear of the veil, "It shook with his measured breath, as he gave out the psalm; it threw its obscurity between him and the holy page" (pg. 338). The veil obviously could not physically throw something, but it enriches Hawthorne’s language.

Irony- This technique is shown throughout this short story by the man wearing the black veil. It is ironic how people think that because he is wearing a veil that he has something to hide, and he does. Also, during the short story, it seems to building up to a big revealing of his secret, but instead nothing is ever revealed, and his secret will stay a secret forever.

VocabularyVocabulary Venerable – commanding Venerable – commanding

respectrespect Iniquity – sinIniquity – sin Indecorous – improperIndecorous – improper Ostentatious – intended to Ostentatious – intended to

attract noticeattract notice Sagacious – shrewdSagacious – shrewd Vagary – unpredictable Vagary – unpredictable

occurrenceoccurrence Tremulous – characterized Tremulous – characterized

by tremblingby trembling Waggery – mischievous Waggery – mischievous

humorhumor Impertinent – not showing Impertinent – not showing

proper respectproper respect Obstinacy - stubbornnessObstinacy - stubbornness

Semblance – outward Semblance – outward appearanceappearance

Obscurity – darknessObscurity – darkness Portend – signifyPortend – signify Pensively – thinking deeply Pensively – thinking deeply

or seriouslyor seriously Antipathy – strong dislikeAntipathy – strong dislike Plausibility – believabilityPlausibility – believability Resolute - determinedResolute - determined

Read the following Read the following slides.slides.

Take notes if you choose.Take notes if you choose.

Summary:Summary:

In this allegory, Parson Hooper, a highly In this allegory, Parson Hooper, a highly respected minister in a small Puritan respected minister in a small Puritan community, suddenly appears wearing a community, suddenly appears wearing a black veil. The veil has such a powerful, black veil. The veil has such a powerful, gloomy effect on his parishioners; they are gloomy effect on his parishioners; they are stunned, so much so that they cannot ask stunned, so much so that they cannot ask him directly why he wears it. Even his him directly why he wears it. Even his fiancée turns from him. The veil’s symbolic fiancée turns from him. The veil’s symbolic meaning – secret sin – is revealed through meaning – secret sin – is revealed through the remarks and actions of Hooper’s the remarks and actions of Hooper’s parishioners and in his own deathbed parishioners and in his own deathbed explanation. Make note of the symbols and explanation. Make note of the symbols and the meanings implied in this parable.the meanings implied in this parable.

A very calm and quite A very calm and quite unremarkable minister in the unremarkable minister in the small town, he suddenly and small town, he suddenly and without explanation begins to without explanation begins to wear a black veil that covers his wear a black veil that covers his eyes and nose. This is not met eyes and nose. This is not met with acceptance in the strictly with acceptance in the strictly PuritanPuritan community and the community and the townspeople grow frightened of townspeople grow frightened of this man they used to trust. His this man they used to trust. His reasons are obscure throughout reasons are obscure throughout most of the story and he is a most of the story and he is a mysterious character both to mysterious character both to the reader and the other the reader and the other characters. In general, however, characters. In general, however, he seems to feel that the veil he seems to feel that the veil symbolizes sin and he reminds symbolizes sin and he reminds others that they too are wearing others that they too are wearing a veil of sorts. He dies without a veil of sorts. He dies without allowing anyone to remove the allowing anyone to remove the veil and is buried wearing it.veil and is buried wearing it.

She was Reverend She was Reverend Hooper’s fiancée until he Hooper’s fiancée until he refused to take the veil off refused to take the veil off in her presence. She was in her presence. She was the only one in the town the only one in the town who was not afraid of him who was not afraid of him but could not take the fact but could not take the fact that he wouldn’t allow her that he wouldn’t allow her to see his face ever again, to see his face ever again, especially since she does especially since she does not fully understand his not fully understand his reasoning. She disappears reasoning. She disappears throughout most of the throughout most of the story after she leaves him story after she leaves him but is shown again at the but is shown again at the end as being an attendant end as being an attendant at his deathbed.at his deathbed.

Reverend Clark is a Reverend Clark is a young minister from young minister from Westbury who comes Westbury who comes to Reverend Hooper’s to Reverend Hooper’s deathbed to pray for deathbed to pray for him. He encourages him. He encourages Hooper to take off the Hooper to take off the veil before he is veil before he is interred in the ground interred in the ground but Hooper shocks but Hooper shocks him (and everyone him (and everyone else present) with his else present) with his strength as he strength as he refuses to have the refuses to have the veil taken off.veil taken off.

The people of the town are The people of the town are highly religious and are very highly religious and are very nervous about the change in nervous about the change in their normally quiet and their normally quiet and unassuming minister, unassuming minister, Reverend Hooper. They are Reverend Hooper. They are not accepting of change and not accepting of change and act with superstition about act with superstition about the black veil, claiming to the black veil, claiming to witness supernatural events witness supernatural events revolving around Hooper. revolving around Hooper. Being fearful of God, Being fearful of God, however, they put even however, they put even more stock into Hooper after more stock into Hooper after his transformation and both his transformation and both revere and shun him revere and shun him simultaneously. The only simultaneously. The only person in town who does not person in town who does not appear to behave in such a appear to behave in such a way is Elizabeth.way is Elizabeth.

AssignmentsAssignments

Begin Reading p.262Begin Reading p.262Lesson Lesson