The way that God has been viewed by society has either been for the better or the worse. The such idea of a “God” could exist brings curiosity in the mind that generators all types of emotions and feelings; to fear, to love, to happiness, and to anger. The two readings that could interestingly enough to connect to this topic is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Minister’s Black Veil and Jonathan Edward’s message of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Both have depicted a nineteenth century view of God and a message of preachment. Although Natalie Hawthorne creates a calm tone throughout “The minister’s Black Veil” (which it’s message of God is also indirect) it is very different from the way Jonathan Edward’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry …show more content…
The tone in the “Minister’s Black Veil” is very calm; the way that Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the main character is a effect of how he demonstrates the tone throughout the story. The minister shows a very kind perspective of how a human being can be even when being judged by one’s own community. In the story the minister is judged for wearing a black veil, even though this happens he shows nothing but love and affection. While the tone of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” is often angry and the dialogue he uses could be described as extreme and scary (Rated R). He states throughout the entire message that if you do not repent for your sins than you will burn in hell. He often says that if you choose not to be saved then the only thing saving you from the fiery pits of hell is a spider web that will end up being crushed by a falling, causing you to suffer eternal …show more content…
In the “Minister's Black Veil” the main character is telling the people that they should repent for their sins in a symbolic/indirect way. The symbolism that is being used throughout the entire story is the “Black Veil” which represents the sins of the entire town. In the text it states (“Why do you tremble at me alone?” he said. “Tremble also at each other! Have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for my black veil? What has made this piece of cloth so awful? When all are open and honest and pure with each other, showing their inmost selves, then call me a monster. I look around me and, lo, on every face I see a Black Veil!) This piece of text shows how the minister is not the only one that has sinned but everyone has. Not only that, but it also represent that how people looking at it should reflect upon themselves and repent. In the “Sinners in the Hands of Angry God” he uses symbolism in a more direct way where he describes different symbols such as God’s fury and Hell. He often describes hell as a place ready to burn you for the rest of eternity, or a place with scorching flames ready to burn you as soon as you sin. He states that the only one that can do something is God but since he is furious for people not repenting for their sins, his hand will not save you but instead condemn you. God is viewed as an Angry and harmful God who doesn't love you
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards and “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne are both 1700s Puritan works of literature with similarities, as well as differences, from their theme to tone and to what type of literary work they are. Edwards and Hawthorne are both expressing the topics of how people are all sinners, especially in regards to their congregation and that questions their congregation’s faith.
In the passages “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards and “Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne are both powerful texts. Edwards used more of an effective style to get his point across. He used a harsh and blunt tone to prove that the God is a powerful man and can strike at any time but does not. This is why his text is better than Hawthornes. In Edward’s text his theme was God is a very powerful man and can strike at any time but does not, and in Hawthorne's text his theme was don’t judge someone by the way they look.
In the text “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry god” the theme is, God is all powerful he can remove his hand at any given time, which means you go to hell. The text states that “God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as a great toward them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell…”(Edwards 3,4, and 5) God is upset with his people, they aren't doing what God ask of them. Once you disobey God he is more than likely to stop helping you through any of your burdens. The theme of “The Minister’s Black Veil” is, change will make people judge you. The text states that “Few could refrain from twisting their heads towards the door; many stood upright, and turned directly towards the door;...” Which means when you change, people will judge you regardless of who you are. Both of the preachers
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" illustrates the dangers of secret sin. Allowing guilt from things done in the past, things that cannot be changed, can ruin lives. The life of the secret-carrier will be devastated, along with the lives of that person's most loved ones. Hawthorne uses various types of figurative language in his works to portray his message. "The Minister's Black Veil” is no exception; Hawthorne uses symbolism and suggestion to add depth and mystery.
The black veil signifies sin. The minister’s veil acts as a reminder to individuals that everyone commits sin, has sins, and need to accept it. The black veil acted as a reminder that people cannot hide from the corruption of their
The interplay between the guilt of the individual, Reverend Mr. Hooper, and society’s guilt, underlies all of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil” from beginning to end. In fact, the parson’s final words emphasize this fact: “I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!''
Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author who wrote, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” had a more effective sermon than the sermon that Jonathan Edwards wrote, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”Hawthorne demonstrated his sermon by not only preaching to his members, but by also wearing a black veil which symbolized secret sin. On the other hand, Edwards just preached to his congregation of sinners that the only thing standing between them and hell, is God himself.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “The Minister’s Black Veil”, the reader is introduced to Parson Hooper, the reverend of a small Puritan village. One Sunday morning, Hooper arrived to mass with a black veil over his impassive face. The townspeople began to feel uneasy due to their minister’s unusual behavior. When Parson appeared, “Few could refrain from twisting their heads towards the door; many stood upright….” (Monteiro 2). Throughout the story Hooper does not take off the black veil and the townspeople, including Reverend Clark from a nearby village, treat him as if he were contagious disease. A veil typically is used to represent sorrow, but in this story it is used to represent hidden sins. No one exactly knows why he
In “The Minister’s Black Veil,” for example, Hawthorne describes how, “perhaps the palefaced congregation was almost as fearful a sight to the minister, as his black veil to them”(2). This directly contrasts the “light” faces of the members of the congregation with the darkness of the minister’s veil. By stating that the minister was just as afraid of the people as the people were of him, Hawthorne indicates that the people fear the minister due to the abrupt reveal of his mysterious sin, but the minister also somewhat fears the people and the secrets they hold deep within their hearts. The people of the town are supposedly pure and innocent, yet it is clear that many of the citizens carry the burden of their own evils. Although the minister boldly comes forward with his own sin, he still feels the pain of the loneliness, scorn, and spite that has come with his statement. Hawthorne represents the discomfort the guilty townspeople feel when in the presence of Mr. Hooper when he describes how they were, “conscious of lighter spirits the moment they lost sight of the black veil” (3). Once again, this use of light and dark imagery supports Hawthorne’s argument that people, even those who claim to be pure and innocent, are capable of sin. The townspeople in Mr. Hooper’s community feel the burden of their own sins when they come in
When an author (artist) can make his emotions, thoughts, ambitions, and inner self materialize, he has reached the dearest form of art, and the artwork can never mean as much to anyone as it does the one who created it. The artist does not own nor can he interpret completely due to the ever growing life-like attributes that the art/literature has adopted. Therefore, Hawthorne himself could not put into words an interpretation of The Minister's Black Vail because the story its self is an interpretation of something living inside the author, a feeling that can only be felt. In this literary figuration, portrait, there is not a moral. Nathanial Hawthorn used the whole story to create or incite a particular emotion, a type of "picture" that is like something else. In the minister's black veil Hawthorne creates a partial "portrait" of his own emotions and soul with the focus being on the pain that isolation, alienation, and loneliness brings to some one such as an artist.
In the light of Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Black Veil”, and Jonathan Edward’s “Sinners”, evidence helps support Hawthorne's claim and theme for the story. The theme of Hawthorne’s Black Veil is everyone has a secret sin, even if they don't have a black veil. This claim can be made by Hawthorne’s intense and serious writing style. Hawthorne supports the idea in his story that everyone has a sin that no one, except for God, knows about and he uses the black veil in the story as a physical piece to show that the minister in the story is hiding his sins. In Jonathan Edward’s “Sinners”, Edwards makes a claim that to Fear God, because he is the only one holding you out of Hell. God knows what you have done, don't try and act innocent. The following paragraphs will help support Edward’s style and how it was more effective to reach out to readers
Many people know the Christian God as happy, forgiving, and accepting of others. In the Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards’ sermon completely shocks and scares people by claiming that the Christian God is the only God, and if you weren’t to believe in him, you would burn in Hell and be destroyed. The tone of this piece in the eyes of Edwards is dedicated, passionate, and pro-Christian God. Edward achieves his purpose by using metaphors, repetition, personification, and visual imagery numerously throughout the sermon.
The short story “The minister's black veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is about a minister whose wears a black veil as a symbol of how mankind in his/her nature is a sinner and whose faith is blinded as a black veil covers your eyes. The book more talks about how the minister is seen by the town after covering his face. “The birthmark” is another book by Nathaniel Hawthorne it talks about a married couple, the husband who is a man of science and the wife who is a woman of nature.The book describes the husband's search for perfection of his wife and the fight between nature and science. Both of Hawthorne’s book contain a description of nature guilt and sins.
The Minister’s Black Veil, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1836, is a parable about a minister, Mr. Hooper, who constantly wears a mysterious black veil over his face. The people in the town of Milford, are perplexed by the minister’s veil and cannot figure out why he insists on wearing it all of the time. The veil tends to create a dark atmosphere where ever the minister goes, and the minister cannot even stand to look at his own reflection. In Nathaniel Hawthorne 's literary work, The Minister 's Black Veil, the ambiance of the veil, separation from happiness that it creates, and the permanency of the black veil symbolize sin in people’s lives.
In the short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the Mr. Hooper’s black veil and the words that can describe between him and the veil. Hawthorne demonstrates how a black veil can describe as many words. Through the story, Hawthorne introduces the reader to Mr. Hooper, a parson in Milford meeting-house and a gentlemanly person, who wears a black veil. Therefore, Mr. Hooper rejects from his finance and his people, because they ask him to move the veil, but he does not want to do it. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Mr. Hooper’s black veil symbolizes sins, darkness, and secrecy in order to determine sins that he cannot tell to anyone, darkness around his face and neighbors, and secrecy about the black veil.