What That Veil Do???

In The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character, Mr. Hooper, wears a black veil that conceals his face from the nose up. The veil symbolizes secret sin, darkness, and hidden mysteries. The theme of the text is that everyone wears a black veil, meaning they have a secret sin or sorrow.

"The subject had referenced to secret sin, and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest." Mr. Hooper had even preached about secret sin to his congregation the first day he wore the veil. The darkness and mystery behind the veil established fear among those around the minister and added gloom to all events he attended, "added deeper gloom to the funeral, and could portend nothing but evil to the wedding."  The townspeople and congregation feared what the veil might represent and why their parson had wore it. Mr. Hooper states, " There is an hour to come when all of us shall cast aside our veils."
-Jazlyn Verner