Essay Comparing The Raven And Tom Walker And The Minister's Black Veil

Nathaniel Hawthorne, Washington Irving, and Edgar Allen Poe were American Gothic writers. Their stories were based off death, horror, and sin. The stories compare and contrast by religion, sin, and point of view.

“The Minister’s Black Veil” and “The Devil and Tom Walker” are based in the Puritan time. Both stories are in third person omniscient. They both show the building up and destruction of characters. The characters change the other characters in the story opinion on life once they are gone. In “The Minster’s Black Veil”, Mr. Hooper adds the veil to show people their sins and he starts to think of them differently the story reads, “His converts always regarded him with a dread peculiar to themselves, affirming, though figuratively, that before he brought them to celestial light, they had been with him behind the black veil.” (Hawthorne 282). But in “The Devil and Tom Walker” he did not change his appearance but changed his way of life and people changed their views on him the story reads, "

In “The Raven” and in “The Devil and Tom Walker” both men wives die.

The man in “The Raven” was very depressed at the fact that his wife died the story reads,” From my books surcease of sorrow – sorrow for the lost Lenore – For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore (Poe 11-12). Tom was happy his wife died because they were both greedy the story reads,” All her avarice was awakened at the mention of hidden gold, and she urged her husband to comply with the black man’s terms and secure what would make them wealthy for life.” (Irving

233).

“The Raven” and “The Ministers Black Veil” both have a religious background. In “The Minister’s Black Veil” the minster is a religious figure the story. In “The Raven” the narrator says, “By that Heaven that bends above us, by that God we both adore...” (Poe 4) which shows he is a believer of God. They contrasted when it comes to theme. “The Ministers Black Veil” theme is about sin and how everyone sins without noticing. In “The Raven” the theme was sorrow because the narrator is mourning the loss of his love Lenore.

The stories compared and contrasted by religious backgrounds, sin, and perspective. “The Minsters Black Veil” and “The Devil and Tom Walker” were both sin themed whereas “The Raven” was more misery themed. They all had different types of writing and storylines.