By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Symbol: A symbol is something that comes to represent something else while retaining its own meaning, as well. There are two types of symbols: Universal & Contextual
A Universal Symbol is when an object represents something other than itself all of the time (Ex: Flag, Eagle) A Contextual Symbol is when an object represents something other than itself only in the context of the story
The obvious symbol in this story is the veil itself... The questions is, what does the veil symbolize?
1. The black veil is symbolic of some specific sin that Reverend Hooper committed In the epilogue to the story, Hawthorne writes that someone similar to Hooper had “accidentally killed a beloved friend” earlier in life.
The black veil is also symbolic of Original Sin, or the idea that humanity has the tendency to transgress against the laws of God. Hooper says “... And if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?” (261)
The veil also comes to symbolize the fine line between life and death. Only in death does the ‘veil’ come off Hooper says, “There is an hour to come... When all of us shall cast aside our veils.”
Some literary critics have argued that the black veil is symbolic of Hooper’s own excessive pride. He could have worn the veil for a short while and than discarded the veil. He also could have explained to his parishioners why he was wearing the veil. Some view the excessive use of the veil as Hooper’s morally superior attitude.
Parable: a parable is a short narrative that draws a moral lesson or illustrates a religious truth. Unlike an allegory, a parable does not incorporate characters or objects that stand for something else. If this story is a parable, what moral lesson could be drawn from it?