Hawthorne Contrast

Jeremy Keeshin Minister vs. Man of Adamant Aspect of comparison Cannot connect to society because of arrogance Spectrum |-------------------------------------------------| Minister ^ Adamant^ Both Richard Digby and Reverend Hooper cannot connect to society because of their arrogance. However, Digby experiences a greater degree of separation because he thinks he has the noblest purpose that involves only himself, while the Minister chooses to remain within the bounds of society because he wants to relay his message to them. In his short stories, Nathaniel Hawthorne reveals to the reader the nature of human interaction by sometimes showing the lack thereof. He sets his pieces in times of gloominess and misunderstanding, and the central characters try to weave their way out by seeking salvation through what in their minds seem to be righteous actions. In two of his stories specifically, this is especially evident. In “The Minister’s Black Veil” and “The Man of Adamant,” the main characters Reverend Hooper and Richard Digby respectively have concrete visions of what virtue ought to be, and do not allow any room for misinterpretation. Both Richard Digby and Reverend Hooper cannot connect to society because of their arrogance. However, Digby experiences a greater degree of separation because he thinks he has the noblest purpose that involves only himself, while the Minister chooses to remain within the bounds of society because he wants to relay his message to them.

Jeremy Keeshin

HOW ARE THEY DIFF Refuse cure Refuse to take it off TO WHAT EXTENT ARE THEY DIFF Although both Richard Digby and Reverend Hooper have the same goal to remain on the path of morality and purity, Digby is more arrogant because he chooses to carry out his actions in a cave completely cut off from society, while Hooper still communicates with the people. Digby places himself in a cave to be pure because, “Providence had entrusted him, alone of mortals, with the treasure of a true faith,” and he was “determined to seclude himself to the sole and constant enjoyment of his happy fortune (Hawthorne 421). He is so radical in his beliefs that he will not even permit himself to converse with the people. His arrogance is so extreme that only he can achieve salvation, and this narrow-mindedness leads to his downfall. Reverend Hooper on the other hand is just as stringent, as no person can see or take off his black veil, but he will at least talk to the people and give them some amount of insight into his farfetched actions. Hooper says to his wife Elizabeth: “If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough… and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?” (Hawthorne 8). He tries to tell her that he may possibly have reason, even if they are not completely understandable, that cause him to wear this black veil. Reverend Hooper wears his black veil to very social occasions, so his plight is not nearly as antisocial as Digby’s. Hooper is found at a wedding and funeral, inherently social gatherings, and does not opt out because of his ultimate lesson he is trying to teach. He is not connected emotionally with his townspeople, but he does not situate himself in the most remote location. Digby’s arrogance emanates when he says he is too pure to even be in contact with people when he goes to the cave. When he finally comes in contact with a human or angelic manifestation of Mary Goffe, he cannot even bear her presence. His actions inherently make him a cruel and arrogant isolationist. He is so arrogant that he refuses the only cure that is offered to him by Mary Goffe. When he is telling her to leave he says, “Off! I am sanctified, and thou art sinful. Away!” (Hawthorne 424). This reveals the astonishing irony of his character. In his quest to be pure he becomes so bigoted that he is the sinner and refuses help from the righteous woman offering him help. Hooper’s arrogance arises in the fact that he will not take off the veil for anyone, including his dear wife. He feels that his message is more important than the people, and sacrifices all of his relations for the benefit of the idea he is trying to pursue. Hawthorne says, “All through life that piece of crape had hung between him and the world: it had separated him from cheerful brotherhood and woman’s love, and kept him in that saddest of all prisons, his own heart; and still it lay upon his face, as if to deepen the gloom of his darksome chamber, and shade him form the sunshine of eternity (“Veil” 10-11). This shows how he created his own isolation and his arrogance caused him to refuse to connect with even his wife or his congregants.

Jeremy Keeshin

Smile thinks hes over everyoen The fundamental reason behind the differences in Hooper and Digby’s arrogance is that Hooper’s stems from his superior attitude and Digby’s from his over inflated sense of ego and independence. The constant in Hooper’s character is that whenever he seems to make a point to the town he makes a smile behind his veil: “There was the black veil swathed around Mr. Hooper’s forehead, and concealing every feature above his placid mouth, on which, at times, they could perceive the glimmering of a melancholy smile” (Hawthorne 6). Hooper’s smile proves that he thinks who he is and what he is doing is better than everyone else, and that is the fatal flaw in his character. Digby’s stony heart condition is a result of him not having feelings, because all that he feels for is himself. He is so narcissistic that he decides that the Bible and all its powers are his when he says to Mary Goffe, “Temp me no more, accursed woman, lest I smite thee down also! What hast thou to do with my Bible?—what with my prayers?—what with my heaven? (Hawthorne 426). He does not depend on any person, and this selfishness and exaggerated independence make him an excessively arrogant character. Overinflated ego WHY ARE THEY DIFFERENT Stony heart Smiles