Thesis Statements & Important Quotes from "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Below you will find three outstanding thesis statements for "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne that can be used as essay starters or paper topics. All five incorporate at least one of the themes found in the text and are broad enough so that it will be easy to find textual support, yet narrow enough to provide a focused clear thesis statement. These thesis statements offer a short summary of "The Minister's Black Veil" in terms of different elements that could be important in an essay. You are, of course, free to add your own analysis and understanding of the plot or themes to them for your essay. Using the essay topics below in conjunction with the list of important quotes from "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne at the bottom of the page, you should have no trouble connecting with the text and writing an excellent essay.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #1: The Concept of “Secret Sin” in “The Minister’s Black Veil

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil” there are many secrets, many dark areas, both literal and metaphorical. These secretive aspects are not centered just on the minister himself, but on all the people in the quiet town. This is evidenced by their reaction to his sermons about secret sin and while the argument could be made that their discomfort is the result of the unsettling presence of the veil itself, an argumentative essay on “The Minister’s Black Veil” could also suggest that, as the Minister himself suggests, all people in the town are guilty of secret sin. For this essay, explore the nature of secret sins throughout the story. For an added challenge, in your thesis statement, do not even discuss the Minister (he is worth an essay alone) but instead look the Puritan community and its relationship with the concept of darkness and sin. For help with this essay idea, look to the last quote at the bottom of the page that begins with “in the veil’s gloom” and consider the ways the townsfolk’s “true” natures are brought out by the presence of a man who himself may be guilty of a secret sin.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #2: The Representation of the Puritan Community in “The Minister’s Black Veil”

In this story, much like other works by Nathaniel Hawthorne (most notably The Scarlet Letter, Young Goodman Brown, and the Birth-Mark, to name a few) the Puritan community itself is one of the most vital “characters” presented. Because Hawthorne paints these Puritan towns with such homogeneity (notice how all the townsfolk have the exact same reactions and thoughts to nearly every situation) the reader gets the sense that this is, of course, a very tight-knit community, but one that, as a result of their closeness, becomes incredibly closed-minded. While this is especially true in The Scarlet Letter (and it would make for a great comparison or compare/contrast essay on the two) it is worth looking at the way the townspeople are, in themselves, the central character of the story as well as the “setting” and motivating force. Keep in mind that the community creates the conflict in this story—it is this pressure that creates the tension. Along these lines, your essay on “The Minister’s Black Veil” should look at “communal” reactions and should evaluate how these influence the story and, if you have room in your conclusion, a reader’s perception of this historical period and culture. A good starting point for this statement (or a way to narrow it down for something shorter) would be to look at the Puritan’s superstition, for example, and how this is a community-wide response to the Minister’s mysterious choice to don the black veil.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #3: Symbols in “The Minister’s Black Veil”

Like many other works by Nathaniel Hawthorne, this story is heavily reliant on symbols as narrative devices. There are many to choose from, including the color black, for instance, The most obvious (and easiest to write an essay about because there are numerous directions you could go) symbol is the veil itself. The black veil is a symbol for many different aspects in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story. For this essay, pick one function of the veil and devote a few paragraphs to its extended meaning. For example, the black veil can mean “veiling” one’s eyes against reality, covering the face in shame, a desire to see the world through a darker lens, and of course, as the minister says, it is a symbol of secret sin. For this essay on “The Minister’s Black Veil” use this (or another) symbol and close with an argumentative conclusion in which you discuss how symbols, as opposed to pure narrative action, create meaning in this story.

Suggestion For Writing About “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

When writing critically about a work of literature, especially for an academic setting, many instructors will not condone your use of pure speculation without textual support. This is being mentioned now because a favorite topic of debate in essay form is devoted to wondering if the Minister donned the veil because he had…er…. Adult relations with the dead girl’s body (or another woman). While this is fun for class discussion, there is very little textual evidence to support this. And okay, the writer of this PaperStarter thinks it’s a moot point not worthy of scholarly debate. There you have it. Any notions to the contrary are welcomed by emailing PaperStarter.

* For a freely accessible full summary and analysis of "The Minister's Black Veil" click here *

This list of important quotations from "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne will help you work with the essay topics and thesis statements above by allowing you to support your claims. All of the important quotes listed here correspond, at least in some way, to the paper topics above and by themselves can give you great ideas for an essay by offering quotes and explanations about other themes, symbols, imagery, and motifs than those already mentioned and explained. Aside from the thesis statements above, these quotes alone can act as essay questions or study questions as they are all relevant to the text in an important way. All quotes contain page numbers as well; these are from the Norton Anthology of American Literature. If you'd like a summary and analysis of The Minister's Black Veil first, here is a great one for you.

“a gentlemanly person of about thirty, though still a bachelor…dressed with clerical neatness, as if a careful wife had starched his band and brushed the weekly dust from his Sunday’s garb” (1253).

“He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face” (1253)

“he had the reputation of a good preacher, but not an energetic one: he strove to win his people heavenward by mild persuasive influence rather than to drive them thither” (1254)

“A person who watched the interview between the dead and living scrupled not to affirm that, at the instant when the clergyman’s features were disclosed [as he leaned over her and the veil moved] the corpse had slightly shuddered, rustling the shroud” (1255).

“the minister and maiden’s spirit were walking hand in hand” (1255).

“There is an hour to come…when all of us shall cast aside our veils” (1257).

“in this manner Mr. Hooper spent a long life, irreproachable in outward act, yet shrouded in dismal suspicions; kind and loving, though unloved, and dimly feared; a man apart from men…” (1259).

(Westerbury to the Minister) “Dark old man! With what horrible crime upon your soul are you now passing to the judgment?” (1261).

“The subject had reference to secret sin, and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest, and would fain conceal from our own consciousness, even forgetting that the Omniscient can detect them” (1254).

(Elizabeth) “Beloved and respected as you are, there may be whispers, that you hide your face under the consciousness of secret sin. For the sake of your holy office, do away this scandal!” (1257).

“Its [the veil’s] gloom, indeed, enabled him to sympathize with all dark affections. Dying sinners cried aloud for Mr. Hooper, and would not yield their breath till he appeared; though ever, as he stooped to whisper consolation, they shuddered at the veiled face so near their own” (1259).

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* An Important Note * As with many other works by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many of the themes in different works remain consistent. This story can be easily compared to (most especially) Young Goodman Brown. as well as to other stories that involve themes of evil, sin, and other motifs such as "Rappaccini's Daughter" and "The Birthmark"" Although this is a departure in terms of setting, if you're writing a comparison essay on "The Minister's Black Veil" using other works by Hawthorne should be simple. There are PaperStarter entries for all of these. *