No wonder, then, that readers can commonly struggle with Hawthorne's protagonists, because the reality is that for the most part we are a lot closer to the characteristics of the masses against which his heroes stand, than we are to the hero himself. As we have seen in other stories of Hawthorne, the confrontation between the needs of the community and the needs of the self drive the narrative. While as a culture we may wax poetic over the value of the individual, Hawthorne seems to be pondering how much of that is lip service. In characters like Hooper, Hawthorne creates what we might call the Individualist Extreme, one who places greater weight on a personal code than on the codes that govern a society. We tend to admire this--abstractly. But Hooper not only defies social codes, he illuminates their hypocrisy.
As I've indicated in other places, though, Hawthorne is never that easy. Sure, we can admire Hooper for having a moral code and sticking to it unswervingly, but whether he likes it or not, his individual actions reverberate into the community and affect others, most especially Elizabeth. To put it another way, his need to punish himself leads to causing pain to others, even if it's unintentional. Furthermore, for a man who wants to be secretive about what he's done, he sure is good at calling attention to himself. If the point was to assuage himself of his own guilt (for whatever), how in the world does wearing a veil keep his act of penance private? And since he won't tell anybody what he's done, how do we know that he's not being over-dramatic just to call attention to himself? So where exactly is the line between individualism and narcissism, and does Hooper cross that line?
Still, his comment to Elizabeth, that if she really loved him his veil would make no difference, is ... reasonable. And if the congregation genuinely appreciated him his veil would make no difference, is also ... reasonable. As I said, nothing is easy with Hawthorne.
At first I thought Mr. Hooper was a sad, pathetic character but after rereading the story, I have come to believe he was a manipulative, self obsessed man. Wearing a veil not only lent an air of mystery to him, it also made it easier for him to avoid social obligations including marriage to Elizabeth. I did not find his smile after Elizabeth left him as forlorn but more a self satisfied smirk that conveyed “mission accomplished”. If he really cared about Elizabeth he would have shared his secret – if indeed there really was a secret.
ReplyDeleteThe minister was a plain simple man who found a way to make himself the focus of everyone’s attention whether at a funeral, wedding, or even just walking down the street. When he returned home after the initial church service he looked back as though to make sure everyone was still looking at him and “a sad smile gleamed faintly from beneath the black veil, and flickered about his mouth…”. Mr. Hooper appeared to take every opportunity to show off his “sad” smile and even died “with a faint smile lingering on the lips”.
If he were a ditch digger who wanted to make a personal fashion statement, he probably could be called an individualist. As a public figure who supposedly dedicated his life to service to others, Reverend Mr. Hooper appears to me to be more of a narcissist.
I'm intrigued by the comment "if indeed there really was a secret," which suggests an even darker level to Hooper's character than we might initially perceive. I'm reminded of another Hawthorne story, the more commonly read "Young Goodman Brown." (I believe you can find a copy of it in your text.) There also we have a character--a young man--who turns away from his social obligations (including his marital "duty")and social relationships to pursue moral righteousness. And as always with Hawthorne, the ultimate value of this is ambiguous. Ultimately we can be appalled by this lack of connectedness to other human beings--but morals ARE absolute.
ReplyDeleteMr. Hooper reminds me a bit of Hester Prynne, which perhaps accounts for my more sympathetic view of him. Like Hester, he wears a symbol, although unlike her does so by choice. In both cases, the symbol can be interpreted in a positive light as the story progresses. Perhaps the mask represents the stain of original sin, or the fact that every person has a secret that's hidden from others. To me, Father Hooper recognizes this (why so suddenly is unclear, perhaps due to his own unspoken transgression) and in wearing the mask as a pastor attempts to make his flock recognize it in themselves, even to the temporary detriment of his own standing. In addition, his successful redemption in the eyes of the community indicates that even though hidden sin is present, all is not lost if it is recognized by the sinner (Rev. Dimmesdale at the climax of 'Scarlet Letter'?). Like Hester, Hooper redeems himself in the eyes of the public by doing good works, to the point that he's given the honor of preaching the election sermon. Even though she couldn't overcome the veil, if Elizabeth didn't love him, she would have been present at his death. Note that, unlike Rev. Mr.Clark, she does not attempt to have the veil removed before Hooper dies. Clark's motives in being there might be more suspect, though, given his reaction when Hooper staunchly refuses its removal. The people's perception as written by Hawthorne is that the veil will "shade hiim from the sunshine of eternity." Hooper believes that it is his salvation, and wants it to be others' as well. Hawthorne's stories always strike me as being more about redemption than guilt in the end.
ReplyDeleteClarification -- the above should read "if Elizabeth didn't love him, she would NOT have been present...";
ReplyDeleteMy feelings for Hooper can be interpreted into that of understanding. I can understand going through something so terrible that it would be against your morals to divulge what that information would be. Continuing, that it would appear easier to, almost literally, wear your heart on you sleeve. It is a seemingly simple way to grasp the attention of others, especially his congregation. Even his smile after he leaves Elizabeth; I believe that it is his way of being faithful. He just saved his fiancé from having his sin smeared across her breast.
ReplyDeleteI can completely relate to that of what Teri wrote regarding The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne suffered from the same ailment. The only main difference, besides (possibly) the type of sin, would be why it was worn. Hester wore it daily by force and Hooper wore it out of self-need. In the end, the same was true for Hester.
A point to take note of in the comments about The Scarlet Letter (and if you haven't read it, well, why not? And have you read Moby Dick yet? Get cracking). As two of you note about TSL, like Hooper, Hester Prynne is marked, though I think we may be dismissing too easily the fact that Hooper chooses his marking, and Hester does not. I call your attention to this because physically marked women is a common trope in Hawthorne--we have, for example, Hester, Georgiana from "The Birth-Mark," and even Faith from "Young Goodman Brown" (who is frequently associated with a pink ribbon). What's interesting is that for their male companions, these markings become associated with corruption and sin. So while markings are a common aspect of Hawthorne's stories, those markings seem to have different value depending upon whether the character is male or female.
ReplyDeleteI think the minister(Hopper) is not overstepping past narcissism, but at a good crossroads between it and being and individual.(remember this is my personal opinion, please add yours =] ) He wears the veil for himself, perhaps it gives him the boost or self-esteem he needs to venture outside and to continue in his daily routines. He feels that by showing the veil he is admitting to his sin. It helps to deal with the remorse and guilt he holds in? That is if we are thinking the sin he has committed is a great one, which I am.
ReplyDeleteAlso we need to remember that this was set in the Puritan period were people were believed to have been born with "original sin," already. This relates back to story in the end where the minister looks around and states “lo! On every visage a black veil” (pg2275 of text) which indicates that everyone is harboring secret sin. Yet, he himself is ridiculed for showing his on a surface level.
As for what you just said..."while markings are a common aspect of Hawthorne's stories, those markings seem to have different value depending upon whether the character is male or female."
One would just have to look at Puritan roles for males and females, our answer may be in that(or I could be completely off). Choices were few in the Puritans' world especially for women they were barely second-class citizens. It was considered a male-dominated society for the most part. Maybe Hawthorne was just making this point more prominently by giving them different stigmas and symbols to mark there "sins."
Reverend Mr. Hooper may have been so devoted to his ministry and the community he willingly sacrificed his marriage to Elizabeth and his own happiness. Since his reputation was “of a good preacher, but not an energetic one”, he might have been desperate to come up with some quiet but effective means of demonstrating how sin separates man and God. It is possible that Mr. Hooper donned the black veil to create a unique (individualistic) physical representation to symbolize how man is hidden from God by sin. He persevered with his message and the “faint smile lingering on the lips” could have indicated he felt his sacrifices were worthwhile
ReplyDeleteCheryl-- I agree, especially with your last sentence.
ReplyDeleteDr. Bodziock -- True that Hester does not choose her marking, and at one point casts it off but is more or less forced by Pearl to put it back on. But in the book's closing pages, she continues wearing it "of her own free will." The book admits she thought of herself as perhaps a prophetess, but finally rejects that. But the fact remains that her intent, although originally involuntary, may be the same as Hooper's -- bringing out something better in people. Although, her efforts are directed more toward females, and the male/female relationship, while Hooper's are broader. Hawthorne allows both to be put to better use than, for instance, Dimmesdale, who is publicly eloquent but hides his sin.
We need to remember that this is a text written about the Puritan period during which the general feeling was that everyone was born with original or inherent sin. All people were guilt in the eyes of God and all that one could do was work hard and remain apart from it. Unlike in The Scarlet Letter, the reader has no idea whether or not Hooper is guilty of some awful sin. This forces readers to think about the other possible reasons the Reverend might be donning the veil. Although there are clues, they are all contradictory. Furthermore, the fact that the story ends with a note about a real minister who took on a veil after accidentally killing his friend lends credence to the idea that the minister really did do something worthy of his self-punishment and hiding away until after death.
ReplyDeleteThe book is set in Puritan New England and focuses on the particular ideology and theology of the time period. At the heart of The Great Awakening, the Puritans were consumed with the idea of the pervasiveness of sin, believing that all humans sin continuously and that even most church-attending Christians would not enter heaven. In this setting, Hooper flourishes as a symbol to his parishioners of their own transgressions and the uncertainty of their ultimate fate. As is Mr. Hooper, Hawthorne was fascinated by the idea of secrets, sins which in their isolation destroyed the sinner. The veil is transformed from an object into a symbol, significant in its black color and in its ability to shroud and hide. Hawthorne employed the veil to represent the secret, sinful nature of humans, who hide unappealing aspects of themselves behind a veneer of respectability.
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ReplyDeleteI think Mr. Hooper just wanted to make a point. He wanted to remind everyone that their secret sin is visible to God, just as his black veil is to them. He was trying to show them how sin will tarnish their relationship with God like his black veil comes between him and society. He may have felt that if he could not hide sin from the most important person in his life (God), why hide it all? It might as well be worn on his body. He obviously took this literally, and sacrificed his relationships in order to bring this concept to life. I don't think he was being narcissistic at all. I believe he truly had these people's best interest in mind. He didn't intend to scare or upset them, but well, the truth hurts. I also think his "sad smile" was simply a reflection of his inner turmoil. He didn't want to separate himself from these people, but he had committed to a cause. He loved them, even though they didn't understand.
ReplyDeleteHawthorne keeps us in suspense during the entire story. What did Hooper do? Why does he feel guilty? We are anxiously waiting for an answer to this question, but only receive a moral – every person was born a sinner. Every single person has a black veil hanging in front of his face, symbolizing his guilt. I find it a BIT narcissistic that Mr. Hooper wears the veil in the first place. Whether or not he intended it to be that way, wearing anything out of the ordinary is an obvious attention-getter. If Mr. Hooper didn’t want to be noticed, he simply could have chosen another way to punish himself or deal with his sin. That is, at least, how the public views his situation. Perhaps Mr. Hooper really has no intention of dramatizing his situation, but his actions (and Hawthorne’s vague description of his life!) seem to prove otherwise. The veil brought just the right amount of attention and disdain that Mr. Hooper feels he deserves. It is perfect for securing his privacy because, although everyone is intrigued by the veil, they are too uncomfortable to ask or address it until Mr. Hooper lies on his death bed.
ReplyDelete“He has changed himself into something awful, only by changing his face” (page 2268). Strange how so much importance is placed on a silly piece of fabric; does what you wear really change you as a person? Mr. Hooper punishes himself by using the subject of secret sin in his sermon and constantly carrying his personal scarlet “A” around with him. Guilt can feel like a dark “strange cloud” to someone suffering with it. Mr. Hooper carries the effects of his guilt with him and it seems to take a toll on the village, as well. Elizabeth says “let the sun shine from behind the cloud,” as if to encourage him to forget his sins and not let them shield him from happiness. I think Mr. Hooper’s smile can be taken a few different ways. It could be s grin of satisfaction (as Cheryl stated) or a “reflection of his inner turmoil” (like Alexis said) or simply reassurance that wearing the veil is worth the struggle.
I feel that Mr Hooper wearing the veil is somewhat like losing a bet. When you lose a bet you might have to do something that would be embrassing or infront of many people. I think that Mr Hooper wears it because he feels guily of something. If Mr Hooper did commit a sin then he feels he has to hide himself from the world or wear it as a commitment to God that he will try to be more devoted to God. I don't think that he was being a narcissist because if he didn't do something that might have been against his morals why would you want to say or pretend that you did? Wouldn't that be looked down upon? You don't want to do something that would make society think less of you.
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