close-up portrait of a figure dressed in black wearing a black veil

The Minister's Black Veil

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Student Question

How does "The Stranger" by Billy Joel compare to "The Minister's Black Veil"?

Quick answer:

The song is basically saying that we all hide the truth about ourselves and others. We only let our lovers see the good side of us and not the bad side.

Expert Answers

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There are many similarities between Billy Joel's "The Stranger" and "The Minister's Black Veil."

First, the narrator of "The Stranger" says, "Well we all have a face / That we hide away forever / And we take them out and show ourselves / When everyone has gone."  This idea is mirrored in the short story because of what Mr. Hooper says about the meaning of the veil.  He believes that we all have "secret sins" that we keep from everyone else, even those we care about the most, and we like to believe that only we are aware of them (and that not even the "Omniscient" can detect them).

Second, the song's narrator claims, "Well, we all fall in love / But we disregard the danger / Though we share so many secrets / There are some we never tell."  Again, this repeats the idea that we are even separated by a figurative veil from our most beloved.  Even they cannot truly know all sides of us because we keep so much hidden.

Third, the song's narrator asks, "Did you ever let your lover see / The stranger in yourself? / Don't be afraid to try again / Everyone goes south / Every now and then / You've done it, why can't someone else?"  He suggests that it is possible to share one's secrets, but it requires a difficult choice.  Even if one decides to be brave and reveal the truth, that they too possess secret sin, it could still result in one's being hurt, and then there is the chance that no one else will be brave enough to reveal the truth of their souls.  Mr. Hooper, obviously, has made a choice to be honest about the state of his soul (by wearing the veil) even though no one else in the village is willing to be honest.

In the end, the song and the story have a great deal in common!

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