Nathaniel Hawthorne
Themes include sin, hypocrisy, shame and egotism Inherited Puritan guilt Anti-Transcendentalist Believed evil was a dominant force in the world P.334
This story is set in the 1600s in a typical Puritan New England village and reflects Hawthorne’s deep awareness of his Puritan ancestry In this story, a highly respected minster suddenly appears wearing a black veil that he vows never to remove The veil’s symbolic meaning is revealed through the speech and actions of the minister and his parishioners, as well as in the minster’s deathbed explanation
Something that has meaning in itself while also standing for something greater Often concealed at first sight Representative of several other aspects/ concepts/ traits than those that are visible in the literal translation alone
Short, simple story with a moral message Unlike a fable (which features animal characters), a parable is populated by human beings
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