Puritanism in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil"
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" is a story about sin and the dark side of the Puritan religion. Hawthorne was a descendent of Puritan immigrants and grew up in Salem, Massachusetts where Puritanism was quite prevalent. While his story emphasizes Puritan beliefs, it criticizes those with which he disagrees. Through the use of symbols, Hawthorne uses his writing as a channel to prove the hypocrisy and extremities of the Puritan people and their religion.
The Puritans emphasize a strong sense of community. T…
