The Black Veil

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" tells the fictional story of a minister who chooses to shroud himself in a black veil at all times, even unto his death. This takes place in a Puritan society, and Nathaniel Hawthorne is able to express his feelings about Puritans through this story. The Minister's congregation is horrified at the veil. They completely abandoned their pastor just because he changed his exterior appearance. They failed to realize that their pastor has become prolifilic in winning souls to the Lord and has improved his preaching drastically. They are blinded by a superficial appearance. Even though he develops into a great minister, he is crippled by the black veil he chooses to wear, it alienates him from all of his friend and even ruins his marriage. Hawthorne seems to be calling out the Puritan society for a rampant superficiality.