The Comparison of Inner Conflicts of Nathanial Hawthorne’s Characters
By: Francisco Avilez
ENC 1102

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s stories consist of individuals that suffer from inner conflicts that are caused by sin, pride, untested innocence, hidden guilt, perverse secrecy, cold intellectuality, and isolation. In his stories “The Minister’s Black Veil", “The Birth Mark” and “Rapaccini’s Daughter” all suffer from pride, perverse secrecy, and sin. In these tree stories, Hawthorn’s characters use science and mind control to manipulate their victims resulting from their obsession to be or act like God. Neither of his characters felt as if they have sinned or show any remorse for their victims or actions. In the Minister’s Black Veil”, a minister wears a black veil to prove a point to his congregation, but when he realizes the power he has gained from his community through his veil, he decides to never take it off, as a result, he crushes his future bride’s heart along the way (Emmett). In Hawthorne’s story “The Birth Mark”, a scientist is obsessed with his wife’s birth mark and considers it as an imperfection; he believes his wife has. In the story of “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” a scientist is obsessed with science, and as a result he destroys his beloved daughter’s ability to love, and her life.
Nathaniel Hawthorn’s story, “The Minister’s Black Veil” the main character “Minister Mr. Hooper” wears a black veil that hangs from his forehead, hiding his face from the world. All that is seen is part of his mouth and chin (Emmett). He wears this veil while giving his first sermon to teach his congregation about how everyone has secret sin. While giving his sermon he realizes the fear in everyone’s eyes. His community begun to feared Mr. Hooper as if he was God (Emmett). That is when he decides to wear the black veil for the rest of his life. By continuing to wear the veil he