Journal #22 Nathaniel Hawthorne: Mr. Hooper? What A Jerk!

QUOTE:

“When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best-beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and lo! On every visage a black veil!” (Hawthorne 1320).


SUMMARY:

On Mr. Hooper’s deathbed, he finally speaks about the mystery behind his veil. After he dies, the people bury him in the veil, having never removed it from his face even after he dies.


RESPONSE:

Mr. Hooper is finally revealing his reasoning for wearing the veil, and it seems like he is laying a guilt trip on everyone around him. It’s almost like he gets a great idea for a big lesson he wants to teach, but realizes that the only way it will work is if the main point of the lecture is given on his deathbed. This makes me think Mr. Hooper is narcissistic; so self-absorbed that he will even sacrifice his relationship with Elizabeth to satisfy his need to be forever known for teaching the ultimate lesson.

I wonder if it was really worth it for him to lose Elizabeth though, and all so he could prove his point that everyone is really wearing a metaphorical black veil while he wears the literal one. What a jerk! I don’t think it’s worth it in the end because I bet those people continue to act the same as if Mr. Hooper never even existed. Elizabeth most likely finds herself a regular guy to marry her, and lives happily ever after. Maybe or maybe not, but it’s not like Mr. Hooper will ever really get to see the outcome of his so-called supreme lesson, or idea, or experiment.

I think at the end of reading The Minister’s Black Veil I was actually hoping that Mr. Hooper was covering up some sort of horrible eye injury, or that the name of a woman he kills ends up tattooed across his face! I probably would have even felt bad for the guy, and would have taken his side in the whole situation.