Comparative Essay Example: The Minister’s Black Veil and Young Goodman Brown

Human nature is a very humbling, yet common theme in many short stories because not only does it expose flaws that society pretends, they don’t have, but it also connects every character with this relatable point. The ability to acknowledge inevitable human sin is a skill that only Reverend Hooper possesses in “The Minister’s Black Veil” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In “Young Goodman Brown” written by the same author, Brown’s inexperience with life prevents him from seeing the malice in people and from recognizing the human nature to give in to temptation, despite how they might be perceived in society. Hawthorne effectively utilizes the curiosity and insightfulness in both, Goodman Brown and Reverend Hooper, to influence their decisions and alter their image of society. 

From the very beginning of “Young Goodman Brown”, Hawthorne introduces Goodman as a loving, faithful husband who embarks on his journey into the woods for “evil purpose” (Hawthorne 1). Even though Goodman appeared to have a blessed life filled with abundance, he still went on this journey which expresses the curious aspect of human nature and its instinct to explore the unknown.  Hawthorne depicts a spiritual awakening from good to evil as his innocence “provokes the devil into unmasking the corruption of Brown’s townspeople and ancestors” (Chelliah) At first, he is hesitant because of his devotion to the Christian faith and his wonderful relationship with his wife, but he gives in to temptation when he realizes that not everyone is as innocent as they appear. When Goodman is confronted by the devil himself, his morals still have a stronghold on his loyalty to God, but when he hears about his own people giving in to their dark impulses, he doesn’t know what to think anymore. Furthermore, he refers to his wife as a “blessed angel on earth” and justifies this journey by saying that “after this one night, I'll cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven." (Hawthorne 1) Inevitably, his seemingly innocent wife is one of the participants in this cultish gathering and upon seeing her, Goodman simultaneously loses his faith and his wife. After this scene passes, he is unable to discern what is and isn’t real, forcing him to question his own faith and those around him since looks can be deceiving. Goodman Brown is naive to “separate saintliness from sinfulness” (Chelliah) because human sin is inevitable and because of this realization, he lost “his faith in human beings, [making him] a stern, sad, if not, a desperate man” (Chelliah) until his death. The journey is symbolic of one’s “discovery of evil, of the true nature of man” (Chelliah) and provides Goodman with a sense of self-awareness and the ability to see for himself: the corruption of society. 

Regarding “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Reverend Hooper’s wearing of a black veil illustrates human sin and how it can alter someone’s appearance and society’s perception of them despite their previous reputation. The entire town respects this young minister because they associate youthfulness with innocence and when he is seen wearing a black veil, covering his face, rumors cloud everyone’s judgment as if they have never committed a sin. The black veil made Hooper irreproachable and mysterious even though he was still the same sympathetic gentleman. His fiancée urges him to “do away this scandal” “for the sake of [his] Holy office” (Hawthorne 8), but he responds by saying that “If [he] cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?” (Hawthorne 8) His decision to wear this dark cloth associated with malice in front of his small town reveals his attempt to establish that all humans have sins whether they choose to show it or not. Before he dies, he satisfies the town’s curiosity by questioning the changed attitude towards him after wearing the black veil since it connects with “the hypocritical sins of mankind” (Chelliah) The most significant difference between Reverend Hooper and Goodman Brown is that Hooper is wise and acknowledges what appears a mystery to others. In this case, it isn’t Hooper who is curious, but, instead, it is the society that also refuses to accept sin despite everyone being capable of touching darkness. 

Despite the storylines being completely different, they share the same author, Nathaniel Hawthorne. He attempts to “convey the meaning and significance of mortal life” (Chelliah) through his short stories and their common themes. He acknowledges sin and the effects it has on someone to give him “penetrative insight into human complexity”. The main characters in both stories undergo a spiritual awakening where they realize everyone is sinful in some way while they all may try to hide it. The author alludes to the fact that they shouldn’t isolate themselves because there aren’t any saints in a society with their pitiful and lonely demise. The “dynamic mental conflict” (Chelliah) that these characters experience is a result of curiosity and the insight they have gained from those around them, despite having to find out for themselves. This instills a distrust towards humanity and their morality because for so long, they have put on a facade that appears innocent and pure but is just human. Society rejects the sin that comes with being human, leading Goodman Brown and Reverend Hooper to lose their faith and their loved ones that they had once felt so secure with.

Finally, it isn’t until the end of “Young Goodman Brown” that the reader notices the damaging effects of his exploring, leading them to question why he would embark on such a journey if his life was so great. Curiosity is an attribute that leads a character into the unknown because beings are attracted to what they aren’t already familiar with. The journey into the woods and the black veil in “The Ministers Black Veil” is Hawthorne’s way of exposing the town’s unexpected association with the devil or in other words, the malice that humanity tries to hide. Nathaniel Hawthorne strategically connects the universal theme of human nature in both short stories where wisdom is acknowledging human sin in everyone despite who they might be.