The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay Example

The Minister’s Black Veil opens with Mr Hooper, the town’s Reverend, wearing a black veil upon his face. The town partakes in gossiping as everyone begins to notice the black veil. Mr. Hooper proceeds to wear the black veil to a funeral and a wedding. The people show interest solely on Mr. Hooper and his appearance. The black veil is found to be inappropriate for him to wear. Mr Hooper’s wife seems to show acceptance for the veil. However, the love of Mr. Hooper’s life trades her loyalty for gossip. The formerly loved Reverend silently falls ill. Mr. Hooper trembles knowing that the town never understood his symbol. Illness overbears and takes his life. A teenager’s disquiet to obey social norms is often caused by society’s judgments, as shown in The Minister’s Black Veil, and can be detrimental to one's mental health.

Many teenagers develop stress when conforming to the standards implemented by society. Social norms are the notions that a group holds and lives by. People allow these norms to govern momentous aspects of their lives. Consequently, “By following social norms, we avoid ruffling any feathers and risking rejection by others. Some specific norms… also seem to exist specifically to enhance our relationships with other people, and to create a sense of unity” ("Social Norms - Biases & Heuristics | The Decision Lab"). If someone abandons the standards set by society, the unity created erstwhile decays. Today’s teenagers desire unity and are contemptuous when someone contradicts their shared passion. Furthermore, teenagers will often conceal opposition: “When most people conform to a social norm, we tend to assume that everybody else agrees with that norm. This gives rise to a phenomenon known as pluralistic ignorance: when people privately hold an attitude or belief that’s different from the norm, but continue to publicly follow the norm because they believe they’re the only one who feels this way” (“Social Norms - Biases & Heuristics | The Decision Lab”). Few people have the intrepidity to stray from society’s standards. Teenagers feel insistence to either follow social norms or obscure the moments when they do not. However, when atypical ideologies are shared among society, the result is far too often harsh judgment and disharmony.

In The Minister’s Black Veil, judgment is manifest through a community’s lack of friendliness and acceptance. The citizens of Milford are quick to judge Mr. Hooper for simply wearing a black veil on his face. They distance themselves from him, even his wife, because a piece of cloth makes them uncomfortable. To illustrate, “But, even amid his grief, Mr. Hooper smiled to think that only a material emblem had separated him from happiness, though the horrors, which it shadowed forth, must be drawn darkly between the fondest of lovers” (Hawthorne 9). Although Mr. Hooper preaches moral lessons and to love others, the congregations act contrarily. They go to church each week to learn how they should live their lives but never follow the doctrines. As a result, “...Mr. Hooper spent a long life, irreproachable in outward act, yet shrouded in dismal suspicions; kind and loving, though unloved, and dimly feared; a man apart from men, shunned in their health and joy, but ever summoned to their aid in mortal anguish” (Hawthorne 11). Mr. Hooper antecedently had been loved by the Milford community; however, the love subsequently expires when the community beholds the veil upon Mr. Hooper’s face. Even though Mr. Hooper embodies benevolence, his moral qualities are overlooked. One unpretentious alteration to an individual’s outward appearance remarkably changes the manner in which a human judges them.

Today, an individual’s mental health is unequivocally impacted by negative words expressed towards them. In our society, people openly express their opinions, especially on the internet. Celebrities and social media influencers receive the most amount of criticism. They are constantly being watched and judged: “We’re always looking at ourselves as if someone is looking at us, only focusing on us. Are we walking weird? Do I sound stupid? What am I saying? What does my hair look like? Is my makeup messed up? Does my outfit look good? When you add millions of people watching your every move, millions of people ready to tear you apart at every second, that’s a constant terror” (Charlie D'Amelio, “Are You Okay?”). A life consisting of judgement creates harmful levels of anxiety and other mental illnesses, such as depression. Charlie D’Amelio is one of today’s most influential teens; she also stars in a reality show centered on her family. Throughout the show, the mental effects of judgement on her are shown: “It’s definitely very difficult to have confidence when everything you do is being nitpicked… Why do I continue to do this when this is how people make me feel?” (Charlie D’Amelio, “Do You Feel Like It’s Worth It?”). In the show, D’Amelio addresses the negative comments she daily receives and how they affect her mental health. Many teenagers presently confront negative judgement originating from all corners of life. Everyday, teenagers suffer with anxiety and depression, but unfortunately not all are capable of withstanding such burdens.

A teenager’s disquiet to obey social norms is often caused by society’s judgments, as shown in The Minister’s Black Veil, and can be detrimental to one's mental health. Young members in our society fear negative remarks if they show opposition to social norms. This fear of judgement also presents itself as stress in a teenager’s everyday life, even when they follow social norms. The act of judging is deeply socially ingrained, and people submit to it impulsively. Judgement has become a natural aspect in humans; however, it is used in a manner that hurts others. As demonstrated in The Minister’s Black Veil, a simple change to one’s appearance leads to overwhelming disrespect. The community in The Minister’s Black Veil relates to real world communities in regard to lack of acceptance for others. People in the modern age express their opinions openly, and many are not afraid to share even their negative opinions. Teenagers are significantly affected; negative judgements towards them result in mental illness. Prejudice from others ignites stress in the minds of teenagers, and leads to pernicious emotional suffering.