The Minister's Black Veil

In The Minister's Black Veil Mr. Hooper shocks his congregation by wearing a black veil. The black veil sends a shock wave of emotion through the townspeople and instills feelings of caution and worry. The people even wonder if the person behind the veil is truly Rev. Hooper. "So sensible were the audiences of some unwonted attribute in their minister, that they longed for a breath of wind to blow aside the veil, almost believing that a stranger's visage would be discovered, though the form, gesture and voice were those of Mr. Hooper." Although the people are afraid and confused by the black veil, they consume their attention to it. They shy away from the Reverend in person but when he leaves, their conversation revolves around him and the mystery of the black veil. "The next day, the whole village of Milford talked of little else than Parson Hooper's black veil. That, and the mystery concealed behind it, supplied a topic for discussion between acquaintances meeting in the street, and good women gossiping at their open windows."

Many people see the black veil as a symbol of sin. By choosing to wear the black veil, Mr. Hooper is making his sin knowledgeable to his peers. He chooses to wear the veil until the day he dies, and even upon his death bed he refuses to allow the veil to be removed. Although Mr. Hooper decides to visibly show his veil upon his face, everyone has their own form of a black veil. Every person is susceptible to sin, even if you are a Reverend. No body can hide their sin for forever, some just choose to compartmentalize it instead of coming right out and showing it. For Mr. Hooper, showing his sin to everyone caused an unsettling feeling through the townspeople. If I were Mr. Hooper, I would not have worn my guilt upon my face.