The Minister's Black Veil: A Paradigm Group
Question:
Hooper presides at both a funeral and a wedding. How do people react to the presence of the veil at each event?
Answers:
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eNotes Editor
Posted by ms-mcgregor on Sunday November 2, 2008 at 5:47 PMThe effect of the veil is rather frightening at both events. During the dead girls' funeral, Hooped bends over the coffin of the dead and has to grasp on to the veil to prevent it from falling away from his face. A woman in the crowd says she saw the corpse shudder when he did this. The veil definitely casts a pall over the proceedings. Later that night, Hooper must preside at a wedding. All the guests think he will arrive without the veil. But he has kept the veil on and people are astonished. The presence of the veil makes the wedding seem like a funeral and some think Hooper is purposely bringing the spirit of the dead girl to the wedding. Then Hooper sees a reflection of himself in the mirror and evidently realizes what effect he is having on the wedding. Instead of removing the veil, he simply runs out into the night. This, of course, makes him the subject of gossip throughout the town.

