1) The tone in the first paragraph is lighter and suggests a happier feeling than the rest of the story. Hawthorne opens with words such as "bright faces" and "spruce bachelors'. The image he creates in the first paragraph is a cheery Sunday morning. This contrasts to the rest of the story which describes a black veil, so instead of it being a light, happy story, it is actually dark.
2) Hawthorne uses light imagery in the first paragraph to grab the reader's attention and make them believe that it is a cheery Sunday morning where the town is going to church. Although, this is true, he quickly turns the story dark by using the imagery of the veil. He describes the veil over the minister's face as a "gloomy shade". He also uses contrasting images while describing the preacher: "Mr. Hooper had the reputation of a good preacher..." But then Hawthorne goes on to question his morality by explaining the reasoning behind the veil.
3) One example found in the story of syntax that builds anticipation includes: "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." He uses this to build anticipation both in the reader and the characters because it makes the reader want to continue and find out what the mystery really is. it intrigues the person to find out a secret of another, whether it be a character or a real reader.
4) When Mr. Hooper leans over the casket, he lets the veil drape so that it is covering his face completely. It is almost like he is hiding his face from the girl even though she is dead and cannot see him. he could be shrouding his face from her out of guilt. He could have been hiding his face because he had something to hide about himself in general. It even says that "the corpse had slightly shuddered" as if disturbed by even his presence although his face was hidden. One possibility is that he could have had something to do with her death. She was a young girl, so sickness is a possibility, but maybe he also felt guilty that his prayers couldn't save her.
5) The wedding of two young people provides the juxtaposition of light/dark again. This is the same contrasting image that Hawthorne set up in the beginning paragraph when he explained everybody's light mood as oppose to the black veil. This time, he starts with the dark image by having the funeral take place first. It is a very somber event and Mr. Hooper is mourning the girl that has passed by kneeling over her casket. Even though he still has the veil on during the wedding and people are questioning it, it is a happier scene. Weddings and death are two contrasting events; one being a happy occasion and one being a sad occasion.
6) Hawthorne chooses to use a lot of personification in this story. He gives life to situations and objects to build anticipation of the story: "...the corpse shuddered, rustling the shroud and muslin cap,, though the countenance retained the composure of death." This statement explains that the young girl is dead, but the body shudders as a reaction to Mr. Hooper. It adds on to the anticipation of his secret and the argument that he has something to hide. Hawthorne also uses personification in other instances to explain the effect Mr. Hooper's presence has on others that are living among him: "For the Earth, too, had on her Black Veil." Everybody around him is questioning why he has this black veil on and it disturbs them to the point where they don't enjoy being around him because they think that the veil is creepy and mysterious. By saying the Earth has on a black veil, Hawthorne says that the rest of the people around Mr. Hooper have on a veil as well, covering their true personalities and feelings towards him.
7) Hawthorne addresses the principle of inner light by using Mr. Hooper's black veil. It shows that the only way he could have complete solitude to mourn was if he wore the veil all the time: "'Know, then, this veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No mortal eye will see it withdrawn. This dismal shade must separate me from the world: even you, Elizabeth, can never come become!'" In a way, this challenges the principle of inner light by questioning what solitude really is. By using the black veil, Hawthorne is saying that a person could still be among people, but covered so that they can't see their face. Transcendentalists viewed solitude as getting away from society and into nature.
8) The sin that Mr. Hooper has committed had something to do with the death of the girl at the beginning. It could have been that he had something to do with her death or he had relations with her while she was living and he felt guilt and shame for it, especially because she has passed. It could be mostly shame because he doesn't let anybody reveal his face after her death. He tells Elizabeth that "No mortal eye will see it withdrawn." In the beginning of the story, Hawthorne even implies that the corpse is uncomfortable near Mr. Hooper because it "shudders". The black veil makes it seem as though he wants to hide himself from the rest of the world, hiding what he has done and his true self. He even refuses to take off the veil before he dies.
2) Hawthorne uses light imagery in the first paragraph to grab the reader's attention and make them believe that it is a cheery Sunday morning where the town is going to church. Although, this is true, he quickly turns the story dark by using the imagery of the veil. He describes the veil over the minister's face as a "gloomy shade". He also uses contrasting images while describing the preacher: "Mr. Hooper had the reputation of a good preacher..." But then Hawthorne goes on to question his morality by explaining the reasoning behind the veil.
3) One example found in the story of syntax that builds anticipation includes: "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." He uses this to build anticipation both in the reader and the characters because it makes the reader want to continue and find out what the mystery really is. it intrigues the person to find out a secret of another, whether it be a character or a real reader.
4) When Mr. Hooper leans over the casket, he lets the veil drape so that it is covering his face completely. It is almost like he is hiding his face from the girl even though she is dead and cannot see him. he could be shrouding his face from her out of guilt. He could have been hiding his face because he had something to hide about himself in general. It even says that "the corpse had slightly shuddered" as if disturbed by even his presence although his face was hidden. One possibility is that he could have had something to do with her death. She was a young girl, so sickness is a possibility, but maybe he also felt guilty that his prayers couldn't save her.
5) The wedding of two young people provides the juxtaposition of light/dark again. This is the same contrasting image that Hawthorne set up in the beginning paragraph when he explained everybody's light mood as oppose to the black veil. This time, he starts with the dark image by having the funeral take place first. It is a very somber event and Mr. Hooper is mourning the girl that has passed by kneeling over her casket. Even though he still has the veil on during the wedding and people are questioning it, it is a happier scene. Weddings and death are two contrasting events; one being a happy occasion and one being a sad occasion.
6) Hawthorne chooses to use a lot of personification in this story. He gives life to situations and objects to build anticipation of the story: "...the corpse shuddered, rustling the shroud and muslin cap,, though the countenance retained the composure of death." This statement explains that the young girl is dead, but the body shudders as a reaction to Mr. Hooper. It adds on to the anticipation of his secret and the argument that he has something to hide. Hawthorne also uses personification in other instances to explain the effect Mr. Hooper's presence has on others that are living among him: "For the Earth, too, had on her Black Veil." Everybody around him is questioning why he has this black veil on and it disturbs them to the point where they don't enjoy being around him because they think that the veil is creepy and mysterious. By saying the Earth has on a black veil, Hawthorne says that the rest of the people around Mr. Hooper have on a veil as well, covering their true personalities and feelings towards him.
7) Hawthorne addresses the principle of inner light by using Mr. Hooper's black veil. It shows that the only way he could have complete solitude to mourn was if he wore the veil all the time: "'Know, then, this veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No mortal eye will see it withdrawn. This dismal shade must separate me from the world: even you, Elizabeth, can never come become!'" In a way, this challenges the principle of inner light by questioning what solitude really is. By using the black veil, Hawthorne is saying that a person could still be among people, but covered so that they can't see their face. Transcendentalists viewed solitude as getting away from society and into nature.
8) The sin that Mr. Hooper has committed had something to do with the death of the girl at the beginning. It could have been that he had something to do with her death or he had relations with her while she was living and he felt guilt and shame for it, especially because she has passed. It could be mostly shame because he doesn't let anybody reveal his face after her death. He tells Elizabeth that "No mortal eye will see it withdrawn." In the beginning of the story, Hawthorne even implies that the corpse is uncomfortable near Mr. Hooper because it "shudders". The black veil makes it seem as though he wants to hide himself from the rest of the world, hiding what he has done and his true self. He even refuses to take off the veil before he dies.