On a Sunday morning, while the bell tolls, the minister shocks the people of Meeting house village. The minister paces slowly toward the church with a difference in his appearance. Concealing "his features except the mouth and chin," good Parson Hooper wears a black veil. Wondering what Mr. Hooper's hiding from, the congregation sets astir. With bleak imagery, Nathanial Hawthorne, the author of "The Ministers Black Veil," writes a story about a minister and his congregation struggling with secret sin and its effects on humanity.
             In the story, the congregation experiences different effects upon seeing the black veil. Several people think that Parson Hooper's "gone mad," women sense Mr. Hooper "changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face." According to the congregation, the minister's sermon seems darker then usual leading them to believe that Reverend Hooper changed, but the changes come from within the people because of their obsession with the black veil. Mr. Hooper "had a good reputation of a good preacher," but because of the veil people feel frightened. Feeling uncomfortable, the congregation wants Mr. Hooper to remove the dark emblem from his face and will not feel at ease until the minister does so. The minister allowing the veil to come between him and the congregation, the people feel that the black veil throws "its obscurity between him and the holy page."
             Throughout the story, the black piece of crape symbolizes a mysterious emblem to the people. Elizabeth, the minister fiancée, pleads with Mr. Hooper to cast aside his black veil "for the sake of the holy office, do away with this scandal." Being concerned, Elizabeth, fears that the congregation will think that the minister wears the black veil to hide a "fearful secret between him and them." Wondering why Reverend Hooper chooses to wear the black veil, ...