"Americana" is the name given to a genre of music that is uniquely American. It is equal parts rock and roll, blues, country, soul, rhythm and blues, folk, and jazz. One of the very first groups to be recognized as Americana is The Band.
Yes, that's their name: The Band. They also happen to be my favorite band of all time. Their rise to fame actually began in Somers Point, NJ. During the summer of 1965, the Canadian group (sans singer/drummer and Arkansas native, Levon Helm), then known as Levon and the Hawks, was hired as the house band at Tony Mart's, a music club in Somers Point.
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| http://www.tonymart.com/memory-lane-1965.htm |
Levon and the Hawks eventually became The Band, a joke name of sorts (No artist name is listed on their debut LP, and their first proposed name--"The Crackers"--was shot down by their label).
Their debut album, Music From Big Pink, contained a rendition of a classic country song initially made famous by Lefty Frizzell: "The Long Black Veil.
The song explores guilt, shame, and all of that emotional, Puritan baggage that is just so American.
Ten years ago on a cool dark night
There was someone killed 'neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene and they all did agree
That the man who ran looked a lot like me
The judge said "Son, what is your alibi?
If you were somewhere else then you won't have to die"
I spoke not a word although it meant my life
I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave where the night winds wail
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees
Nobody knows but me
The scaffold was high and eternity neared
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But sometimes at night when the cold wind moans
In a long black veil she cries over my bones
There was someone killed 'neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene and they all did agree
That the man who ran looked a lot like me
The judge said "Son, what is your alibi?
If you were somewhere else then you won't have to die"
I spoke not a word although it meant my life
I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave where the night winds wail
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees
Nobody knows but me
The scaffold was high and eternity neared
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But sometimes at night when the cold wind moans
In a long black veil she cries over my bones
While we are on the subject of American music, let us also consider a true icon: Johnny Cash. Here is his "theme" song, "The Man in Black."
Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.
I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.
Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.
I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.
And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.
Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.
Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.
There's a man who walks beside me
It is who I used to be
And I wonder if she sees him
and confuses him with me
And I wonder who she's pinin' for
on nights I'm not around
Could it be the man who did the things
I'm living now?
I was rougher than a timber
shippin' out of Fond du Lac
When I headed south at 17
ol' sheriff on my back
I never held a lover in my arms or in my gaze
So I found another victim every couple days
But the night I fell in love with her
I made my weakness known
Through the fires and the farmers diggin' dusty fields alone
The jealous innuendos of the lonely hearted men
Let me know what kind of country I was sleeping in
Well you couldn't stay a loner
on the plains before the war
My neighbors had been slightin' me
I had to ask what for
Rumors of my wickedness had reached our little town
Soon she'd heard about the boys I used to hang around
We'd robbed a Great Lakes freighter,
killed a couple men or more
And I told her her eyes flickered like the sharp steel of a sword
All the things that she'd suspected
I'd expected her to fear
Was the truth that drew her to me when I landed here
There's a man who walks beside me
he is who I used to be
And I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me
And I wonder who she's pinin' for
on nights I'm not around
Could it be the man who did the things
I'm living down?
Well I carved a cross from live oak
and a box from shortleaf pine
Buried her so deep
she touched the water table line
I picked up what I needed
and I headed south again
To myself I wondered
would I find another friend
There's a man who walks beside her,
it is who I used to be
And I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me.
Your Task:
- Select one of the aforementioned songs.
- Explain how the song is similar to the short story "The Minister's Black Veil" and "Young Goodman Brown."
- Discuss the themes of "The Minister's Black Veil" and "Young Goodman Brown" and the theme of the song you select.
- Support your response with references to both the song and the story.
- Be original! Your response should consist of your thoughts and your feelings.
- Your response should be approximately 250 words in length (500 max).
The song I chose to compare to "The Minister's Black Veil." Is “Man in black” by Johnny Cash. In the story, the minister wears a black veil around town and the people can’t bear to look at him. They view him as some dark, evil soul. The veil is used as a reminder of peoples sins and metaphorically speaking, everyone is wearing one.“I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down, Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town, I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime, but is there because he's a victim of the times. I wear the black for those who never read, Or listened to the words that Jesus said, About the road to happiness through love and charity, Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.” Cash states his reasoning to wearing black clothing all of the time in one, single verse.
ReplyDeleteThe theme in “ The Minister’s Black Veil.” is about personal failings and human nature. The Minister makes a statement by wearing his veil to physically point out that no person goes without out sin. “Why do you tremble at me alone?” “Tremble also at each other! Have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for my black veil? What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful?” Mr. Hooper says this as crowd of spectators surround him and it makes them all re-evaluate the way they view his veil.
In general, your analysis should be longer than the direct quotes cited.
DeleteIn the short story “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Minister, Mr. Hooper, wears a black veil. This black veil frightens and makes all of the people in the town uneasy when they see their Minister, their spiritual leader, wearing this piece of crape; they describe the effect of the veil by, "He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face." Mr. Hooper wears the veil as a physical symbol to make people realize that everyone is wearing a black veil (metaphorically) to represent their secret sin. The song “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash shares many of the same concepts as the short story “The Minister’s Black Veil”. In the song Johnny Cash explains why he only wears black colored clothing, “I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down, Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town, I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime, But is there because he's a victim of the times.” He wears the black as a physical symbol of all the wrong in the world (secret sin) to make people realize that there are problems everywhere; much like in “The Minister’s Black Veil” the minister wears it to make people realize that everyone has secret sin.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of both “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the song “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash are very similar to each other. The Theme of “The Minister’s Black Veil” is secret sin and underlying guilt. The Theme of underlying guilt is expresses throughout many of Johnny Cash’s song because when Johnny Cash was younger his brother died and Cash always thought that it should have been him. Johnny Cash’s own Underlying guilt greatly affected his music.
I am not sure Cash is addressing "secret sin"; he seems to be addressing obvious social concerns that many choose to ignore. What comes to mind is the phrase, "first world problems": here we are in "our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes," ignoring legitimate crises occurring all over the world.
DeleteLike most songs in this world we live in today, it symbolizes everyday events. The reason why we do this is to find relationships and connections in which it will end up getting people to buy the artists song. A good example of this happening would be in the song “The Man in Black." By Johnny Cash in which it has some of the same symbolism and life lessons as the book “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The book basically describes this minister, named Mr. Hooper and that one day he wears this black veil to cover his eyes from everyone. He didn’t wear this black crape to make a fashion statement, but hide his sins from everyone. This action of putting a veil over his face was an abysmal idea for his reputation because as a spiritual leader of the people’s church he looks fighting to everyone that attended the church people would say “that a simple black veil, such as any woman might wear on her bonnet, should become such a terrible thing on Mr. Hooper's face!" And statements like "and I would not be alone with him for the world. I wonder he is not afraid to be alone with himself!" These people shunned him for concealing himself, but in reality everyone has a symbolical black veil on their faces that hide their true selves and their secret sins, he was the only brave one to actually admit that he has sins like anyone else.
ReplyDeleteThe song “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash, like I said previously, has some of the same perceptions as Nathaniel Hawthorne and his story “The Minister’s Black Veil”. In his song he describes how he constantly wears the color black and says the reason for his style. The reason would be to show us the dismal world that we live in today he says, “I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down, Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,” and also, “I wear it for the sick and lonely old, for the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold.” I do end up get that the world is not flowers and sun shine, but as humans we do help the indigent and rescue the sick. Don’t get me wrong I do get why he wears black because sometimes it get to the point where I asks myself why are people so creel and hostile to each other and why we let corrupted people set how we are going to live.
The theme of both “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the song “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash is parallel to each other in that both represent black as sin. Johnny Cash and Mr. Hooper's have things in common too they both have sinned and both represent that they sinned by wearing the color black, I don’t know what Mr. Hooper did, but I know that Johnny Cash abused drugs profusely, heroin, and when a person does crazy stuff like that there actions mirror it.
Cash was addicted to amphetamines, not heroin. Good analysis, but please, use spell check. May I suggest Google Chrome? It's built in to the browser.
DeleteGuilt is not an emotion, but a state of being. Everyone in this world has or will make a decision that they will keep with them and regret for most of their life. Over time they may make peace with themselves but the guilt and regret is still there. The guilty ones, live trying to cover up their "secret sin" and hope that no one sees their past. "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and "Live Oak" a song by Jason Isbell both deal with living with guilt. Both Mr. Hooper and the character in "Live Oak" see the consequences of their guilt and past. Mr. Hooper choses to use a black veil so that his town realizes that everyone is living with guilt and is hiding something. Before he takes his last breath he says "Why do you tremble at me alone? ... Tremble also at each other! When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin... I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!" Instead of scoffing at him, he wants people to realize that if every person showed their true self then they would be treated differently. The man "Live Oak" however goes on with his sins, falls in love and then thinks that after he tells his lover all the terrible things he's done, she will only see his "bad" side.
ReplyDelete"The Minister's Black Veil" sheds light on the fact that everyone hides something, while "Live Oak" shows how these things one regrets will affect that person in the long run."There's a man who walks beside her, it is who I used to be , and I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me." "Live Oak" is like an extension of Nathaniel Hawthorn's story. It shows that once you tell your "best beloved" your sins, that she may or may not be able to see past them to who you want to be, and that you will never know if your lover saw that you truly wanted to be a different person, if that person leaves this world suddenly. Living with guilt, however, is truly an inevitable part of what we call life.
Is it fair to say that Hooper and the speaker of "Live Oak" should take comfort in the fact that they attempted to live honestly? Let's hope so. Astute analysis, Miss Ragan.
DeleteIs it fair to assume that those who can live without guilt are in someways inhuman, i.e. a sociopath?
In the short story "The Ministers Black Veil", by Nathaniel Hawthorne Minister Hooper, the main character, wears a black veil. Hooper’s followers strongly disapprove of the veil, and even his own fiancé cannot understand why he choses to hide his face behind the veil. Through out the story the veil continues to make a negative impression on his personal life and career, but he wont take it off because for Hooper the black veil represents a bigger picture that the ones around him can not see. The veil is a symbol of secret sin; everyone has things that they are hiding. Hooper believes we all wear a veil that hides our true self, and we wear it until the day we die, once we die we are freed from public opinion and the veil can be lifted. In the song "long black veil" by the band, a similar story is told; " she walks these hills in a long black veil, she visits my grave where the night winds wail, nobody knows and nobody sees nobody knows but me." This woman is holding on to the secret of her long gone affair, because she cannot tell soul about what she’s done so she allows her black veil hide to her dark truth.
ReplyDeleteThere is sin in the world and there is guilt. Everyone has a secret and everyone has done things that they are not proud of. But in society people tend to hide their flaws so that they can appear to be perfect rather than admit their wrong doings to the world. Its the image that matters no the truth, we hide behind our black veils so much that we lose touch with the truth and our fantasy becomes reality. This is seen in both "The Ministers Black Veil", and "Long lack Veil". These two stories of guilt and hidden secrets are perfect examples of how necessary it’s become to hide from yourself oppose to being yourself. The over all theme of "The Ministers Black Veil" is guilt, and this is also a theme expressed in the song "Long Black Veil". People feel guilt not just for the things that they've done but also for the fact that society will judge them and not accept them.
Very thoughtful, Samiyah!
DeleteDoes this imply that the woman in "The Long Black Veil" and minister Hooper are admirable in their honesty?
"The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and "The Man in Black" by Johhny Cash both personify the idea that most people live with a "secret sin" and rely on false personas in order to hide them. In the short story, "The Minister's Black Veil," the reader was forced to acknowledge that he/she has "sinned" and that the black veil worn by Mr. Hooper symbolized this. The color of the veil, in my opinion, is just as important as the veil itself. Black is a color often associated with negative things, such as death, or in this case, sin and guilt. In the song, "The Man in Black," Johnny Cash is proclaiming that he will wear black for the rest of his life. The black clothing is a symbol of the sins committed and the guilt that we have all experienced. Most people choose to pretend that those feelings don't exist and instead choose to suffer internally.
ReplyDeleteReligion is so deeply embedded into our society. The idea of sin and the guilt that follows ultimately stems from America's Puritan roots. The Puritans believed in the doctrine of predestination which caused lives of misery among its people. Unfortunately, this mindset has passed down through many generations. Mr. Hooper used his veil to show that everyone is hiding their sins. With this in mind, I find it absolutely necessary to hide guilt and sin. When Mr. Hooper, a kind and loving man, revealed that he had committed a "sin" he was shunned by his own people. Humans seem to cherish this idea of guilt. We love to make others feel "guilty" for "sinning", perfectly content with ignoring our own sins.
I agree, Apria. It is somewhat ironic that a mindset preoccupied with guilt and sin does not lead to more charitable works; rather, it leads to judging others, an act of utter hypocrisy.
DeleteIn the short story “The Ministers Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne Minister Hooper the main character wears a black veil over his face. Many of the people around him don’t understand why he wears the veil. His own Fiance struggles to comprehend the veil. Throughout the story the veil gives off a negative impression on the minister’s personal life and career. The minister himself feels as though the veil represents something that everyone displays; secret sin. Hooper believes everyone has something that they are hiding and we all wear veils to cover them up. He believes that the day we die we are freed from public opinion and our veils become lifted. The song “Long Black Veil” by the band a similar story relates to this story. The song is about a man who had an affair with his friend’s wife and dies. “She walks these hills in a long black veil. She visits my grave where the night winds wail. Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees. Nobody knows but me.” Here we can see the wife has a veil over her face that’s covering the secret sins she committed. At the funeral “She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear.” This song relates to the story because we can see many people do have secret sins that they keep to themselves. For the rest of her life the wife has to live with a veil over her face; guilt, shame, and embarrassment. Veils and secret sins no doubt occur in our society today. Many people have sins that they hide so they aren't embarrassed or judged negatively. Everyone wants to feel accepted so they hide the wrong things they've done.
ReplyDeleteGiana: thoughtful and original. Excellent!
DeleteThe short story, “The Ministers Black Veil,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of a minister who wore a black veil over his face that symbolized guilt and secret sin. It can relate to the aforementioned song “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash. The two are extremely similar because they both portray how men are questioned when they choose to show the reality of society through their clothing.
ReplyDeleteIn “The Ministers Black Veil,” the minister wears a black veil over his eyes to show secret sin. He wants to show the people of his church that as much as one tries to hide their sins, they will always be there. Also, even though all of ones sins are not visible right now, their black veil is removed when they die. The quote, “There is an hour to come when all of us shall cast aside our veils,” explains exactly this. The theme of the story is that no matter how much society tries to create the perfect public persona, it is pointless because it is impossible to hide guilt and sin. The song, “Man in Black” has a very similar meaning to the short story. It shows a man trying to reflect the hardships in society. Lines such as “I wear it for the sick and lonely old, for the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold” show how the man wears black to represent the unlucky and depressed people in society. He wears it to show how even though most of the people he is with are well and taken care of, many in the world are weak and broken. This song also shows some guilt in the line, “About the road to happiness through love and charity, why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.” It insinuates that Cash feels guilty because he feels he is self-oriented and doing nothing to help others in need. The theme is that even though ones life may be great, they still must be forced to see the bad in the world because it is necessary to be kind and to do the right thing.
The story and song are very similar because both show how the color black represents guilt and suffering. Both men in each circumstance are questioned because they willingly chose to become symbols of sin. In the story, it explains children and men were completely frightened by him and in the song it explains the answers to why men are questioning him. In conclusion, “The Ministers Black Veil” and “The Man in Black” both portray the self-reflection, guilt, and the reality of the world. The minister and Cash however fight to bring this to light and make the world a better place.
"The two are extremely similar because they both portray how men are questioned when they choose to show the reality of society through their clothing." Well put!
DeleteNathaniel Hawthorne, a near depressed, somber author, wrote the short story “The Minister’s Black Veil”. The main character, Mr. Hooper, is weird, or different. For example, he wears a black veil to hide his sins. Overall in general, the black veil is a symbol of idiosyncrasies and sins that people don’t want anyone to know. The black veil is also in everyone’s possession. Everyone has something to hid or something that they want people to hopefully forget or slip away. It is the protector or hidden door to guilt, sin, and suspicion. In Hawthorne’s novel, it is Mr. Hooper who literally wears a black veil, and the people are creeped out by him or shocked in other words. All he was trying to show was that he represents the hiding of sin and guilt in the most obvious form: a black veil. When Mr. Hooper was about to die, he said, “"Why do you tremble at me alone?" cried he, turning his veiled face round the circle of pale spectators. "Tremble also at each other! Have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for my black veil? What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful? When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!". This supports my stance on the subject of the reason of having the black veil.
ReplyDeleteThe song that I chose to compare to the short story was “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash. This song relates to “The Black Veil” because Johnny Cash talks about how he carries the heavy burden of sin and guilt on his shoulders, and that is what Mr. Hooper indirectly did. He says, “I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down, Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town, I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime…”. He is trying to say that he wears black suit (a big veil) for the forgotten or underlooked sins that people don’t pay attention to. Then, he says, “Well, there's things that never will be right I know, And things need changin' everywhere you go, But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right, You'll never see me wear a suit of white.” Now, he is trying to say that the veil/suit can be removed if sin is gone.
Nice use of the word, "idiosyncrasy." In general, Kartik, make sure that your analysis constitute more of your response than the use of direct quotes.
DeleteThe song I chose to compare to the short story is "The Man in Black" by Johnny Cash. The short story "The Ministers Black Veil" has a main character who wears a black veil throughout the whole story. He wears the black veil to symbolize that everyone has a secret sin and everyone has their own veil. This symbol rather hurts his reputation and it doesn't really get his point across like he wanted it to. He carries a secret sin and burden and he states that everyone will lose their veil at death when you are freed of your sins. “In this manner 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.” This statement says that Mr. Hooper was more feared than loved but people still called for him because he is the minister and he is the connection to faith. The veil symbolized that people hid their sin and people were scared of the veil so it symbolized that they were scared of their own secret sins. Likewise in Jonny Cash’s song “The Man in Black” he talks about how people have tough lives and black is worn for them as a symbol.
ReplyDelete“I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.”
A section of lyrics from the song states I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down… I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime. These are all burdens and the black he is wearing is sending a similar message like the veil was. He also states “ I wear the black for the lives that could’ve been.” He wears black for the people that haven’t made good choices in life and the minister Mr. Hooper wears black for the secret sins or mistakes that everyone has had in their lives. The guilt that Johnny Cash had influenced some of his best works and they can all be compared to many different things in life.
Nate, you definitely address the themes of both the story and the song, but your response lacks a thesis statement: both deal with characters who use black clothing to represent a reminder of sin, whether it be personal and private or public and ignored.
DeleteThe short story, "The Ministers Black Veil" tells the story of a minister who wears a black veil over his face as a symbol of his own sin. The song I chose to compare to this short story was "Man In Black" by Johnny Cash. This song explains why Cash was always wearing all black, hence his nickname "The Man in Black". He says that he wears black to symbolize how everything is not "ok". People know of the tragedies in the world, but they push it into the back of their mind and try to believe that the world is perfect. Likewise, the minister in the short story wears a black to veil to represent the sin that people try so hard to cover up. The story states,
ReplyDelete"Why do you tremble at me alone?" cried he, turning his veiled face round the circle of pale spectators. "Tremble also at each other!...for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!"
The theme of that short story is that everyone is wearing black veil because it really is a symbol of the sins they try to bury in the past. Everyone in the story looks at the minister as a crazy old man because he never takes off his veil. However, he knows that in reality, everyone is wearing an invisible black veil.
In addition, the theme of the Johnny Cash song is that Cash visibly represents the people who are suffering, while others are trying to suppress it.
Cash sings "Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black."
Johnny Cash, much like the minister in the short story, represents the world that others try to look past because they are too afraid to really think about the way they're living and how it affects other people.
"Johnny Cash, much like the minister in the short story, represents the world that others try to look past because they are too afraid to really think about the way they're living and how it affects other people." Amen!
DeleteIn the short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil” Mr. Hooper wears a black veil that only shows his chin and mouth. People in the town suddenly feel like he has some sort of evil power and he makes them feel extremely uncomfortable. People say they feel like Mr. Hooper can see all of their sins when in reality his eyes are covered. The veil is just a metaphor for sin and guilt and Mr. Hooper believes that everyone wears the same veil he has on, just not literally. The song I felt was most similar to this short story was “ Live Oak” by Jason Isbell. “There’s a man who walks beside me, it is who I used to be...” is a quote from the song. The man that walks beside Isbell is the same as Mr. Hooper’s black veil. This man represents all of the sins and things he feels guilty for doing before he changed his ways. Isbell also says, “ I never held a lover in my arms or in my gaze, so I found another victim every couple days, but the night I fell in love with her I made my weakness known..”, which means that he had never cared for anyone so he would do all of these bad things with bad people but when he fell in love with this girl he decided to change his ways and become a better person. “Rumors of my wickedness had reached our little town, soon she’d heard about the boys I used to hang around...” is another quote from Isbell’s song. Just like Mr. Hooper many rumors floated around his town about what was under the black veil. At the end of the song Isbell reveals that the girl has died and he wonders if his past self walks with her past self and she mistakes him for the new Isbell.
ReplyDeleteThis concept of having someone always walking with you or a black veil over your face stays with everyone. Everyone in the world has done something they regret or something that haunts them still to this day. Just like Isbell and the scared people in “The Minister’s Black Veil” every person is afraid of people finding out about the people they used to be or why they wear a black veil. We all have a black veil, we just feel too guilty about it to physically wear one.
Carly, I think you really zeroed in on the meaning of "Live Oak," but I am not sure Jason Isbell wants to be associated directly with the speaker of that song! Ha!
DeleteGood stuff, girl!
Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote "The Ministers Black Veil" to symbolize the sin and guilt that fills peoples lives. He portrays this with the character of Mr. Hooper, who wears a black veil that covers his whole face minus a sliver of his mouth and chin. The people in the town are given an uneasy feeling when they see Mr. Hooper saying that they feel he knows they're deepest darkest sins, when in reality the veil is a metaphor of his own. I chose the song "The Long Black Veil", in this song it describes a man who was tried and put death for committing an unruly crime. The narrorator says "... The man who ran looked a lot like me" this man portrays himself with the guilt he has from "being in the arms of his best friends wife" Similarly, the woman this happened with wears a long black veil which she wears in the night when she visits him st his grave. Black often represents death and in this case guilt, she is guilty of her sins and is also mourning for the man who is now gone. No one is aware of the affair, except for him. The song states that she did not shed a tear in a large crowd, but when the sun goes down she visits his grave in her long black veil. The Black Veil plays and important part in American history; it's roots lay far in past of our ancestors back in Puritan times. Religion was ultimately the foundation of this country and with that comes sin which causes this guilt that every living man has experienced. The veil is a reminder of that, one should not judge another based on what they have done, because it's possible they themselves could have done something equally as immoral.
ReplyDelete"The veil is a reminder of that, one should not judge another based on what they have done, because it's possible they themselves could have done something equally as immoral." Well put!
DeleteIn Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "The Minister's Black Veil" Mr. Hooper the local minister starts wearing a black veil concealing his face from the public. This black veil symbolizes hidden secrets and people's sins and guilt. The song " The Long Black Veil' by " The Band" also symbolizes secret sins. In the song the artist explains to the listener that he previously seized control of a freighter on the great lakes committing crimes of theft and murder. The only difference between these two pieces of art is we never learn of minister Hooper's sins if he has any. Also, in "The Long Black Veil" the narrator explains his fornication with his best friends wife which was kept secret from the husband. When the singer dies he says that she secretly goes to his grave and weeps about his passing. Within the lyrics it states, "she visits my grave when the night winds wail." This is similar to Mr. Hooper with his fiancee when she asks him why he wears the veil. Mr Hooper responds, "There is an hour to come when all of us shall cast aside our veils." The aforementioned quote means that when one dies their veil is removed thus their secrets are relieved. That is how the song "The Long Black Veil" by "The Band" is similar to " the Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
ReplyDeleteYou are combining "Live Oak" and "The Long Black Veil" into one convoluted narrative.
DeleteIn the short story, "The Ministers Black Veil" the story is told about a man, Mr. Hooper who wears a black veil. The veil is used in a form of symbolism. The theme of the short story is the black veil that he wears symbolizes the sin and crime. It's used to show that everyone has hidden sin, crime, and guilt. For example, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, "What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful? When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved.." Hawthorne is asking why it's such a terrible thing to wear the black veil. The theme of the song would be that Jonny Cash is giving a reason to what each thing symbolizes. For example, his lyrics state, "I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down, Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town, I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime, But is there because he's a victim of the times." He has thoughtful meanings of why he wears the black veil and what they represent. He also states, "Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
ReplyDeleteAnd tell the world that everything's OK..." Johnny Cash's lyrics have a deeper meaning. He wants to be able to say that secret sin and hidden crime is an "ok" thing to do, and be able to be wearing his rainbow colors, but what's the point in not telling the truth, which would also be considered a sin too.
Interesting. In both the song and the story, characters address a form of hypocrisy that is really dishonesty.
DeleteI'd like to see you expand on this idea a bit.
The short story, “The Ministers Black Veil,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne tells about a Minister who decides to wear a black veil on his face symbolizing the sins people hide within them. The black veil makes everyone uncomfortable including himself. He avoids to look in mirrors or anything with a reflection. The veil makes people feel like he knows what they're hiding when in reality he can't even see them because the veil covers everything but his mouth and chin. The song I think is most similar is "Live Oak" by Jason Isbell. In the song he talks about how he wonders if the girl he fell in love can see the man he use to be. The man he use to be is like the veil that the minister, Mr.Hooper wears. He doesn't want her to find out what he did because he feels like back then there was no reason not to do them but now there is and the reason is her. The theme of both the story and song is guilt. In the story the minister wears the black veil to physically "conceal" his sins while in the song the man who the songwriter use to be is his version of a black veil you just can't physically see it. We don't know the sins of the minister but we know some of the guy in the song though. It just goes to show that we all have sinned whether others know it or not. We all have "black veils" over our faces we just don't show it and are afraid to.
ReplyDeleteHmm. Is it fair to assume that Hooper's veil is actually a form of brutal honesty? Because he wears a symbol of hidden sins, he is actually presenting an honest version of himself.
DeleteTry to write two solid paragraphs.
In the short story the “The Black Veil” by a well-known author Nathaniel Hawthorne Mr. Hooper, the main character and a preacher wore a black veil which represented his sin. The veil covers most of his face including his eyes. The town gets a eerie feeling about him and when he preaches the words mean more. The veil shows sin and how everyone hides there sin and how everyone has it. As is the same for Johnny Cashs song “Man In Black”. Cash says he wears black for the poor and the man who paid long for his crime. But when people see black they think of sin. And our cars and belongings need to be reminded with the man in black up front. These songs are similar because both show how every man has sin and that needs to be the must important thing they remember.
ReplyDeleteShort response.
DeleteIn "The Minister's Black Veil", a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character Mr. Hooper wears a black veil covering the main parts of his face. Mr. Hooper does this because he is trying to hide his sins for himself, a greater being, and the people around him. Also since he is a minister, when he would speak words of wisdom at church, the veil made it so people actual were focused on him! The veil would keep their attentions on him and the words he speaks and the meaning of what he is saying to them.
ReplyDeleteThe song I chose to talk about is by a very big man by the name, Johnny Cash, and it's called, "Man In Black". In this song Johnny mainly talks about why he always wears black. Some interesting things about this song is that everything time he says he wears black, its for things mainly filled with reasons like death, world depression, and other sad things. Also, the other main points to be said, the correlation between "The Minister's Black Veil" and "Man in Black". The main correlation is how it talks about the color black representing depressing things in both the story and song. The minister and Johnny both wear it for some similar reasons like bad pasts, and/or deathly and sad things.
Make sure to be specific. Include direct quotes.
DeleteAlso, remember: the minister's veil is a symbol of his hidden sins. He is not wearing the veil to attempt to further hide these sins; he's publicly admitting to them.
In "The Minister's Black Veil", written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the minister (Mr. Hooper) wears a black veil that is over his face only revealing his mouth and below. This veil represented the secret sin that everyone had by showing that everyone has something to hide and no ones sin is gone until death. The theme would be secret sin is everywhere, no matter how hard you try; everyone has something they are trying to hide. Now, in the song "The Man in Black" composed by Johnny Cash, it describes a man that dresses in black for many reasons. Mainly he is representing that there is always bad in the world and everyone has it. Both the story and song show that there is sin in the world but these individuals are bearing it to bring it to everyone else's attention.
ReplyDeleteThe song is very similar to the book in many ways. The song explains that he wears black for a number of reasons just like Mr. Hooper in the story. This would show the sin/guilt that everyone in the world has but in a symbolic way. Also, to make people aware that everyone has it but, theirs is physical while everyone else's veil is metaphorical. Although people may have found these men weird, they still did what they did with purpose and stood by it for a long time. They even stood by it when there was criticism and when they were singled-out. Therefore both song and story demonstrate how a single man can make a difference just by wearing a certain thing and not even having to say anything about it.
"Also, to make people aware that everyone has it but, theirs is physical while everyone else's veil is metaphorical." Well put!
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ReplyDeleteNathaniel Hawthorne, was a darker man. He wrote about darker things and had darker thoughts and inspired many well known artists today to take his lead. A classic, very influential artist especially named Johnny Cash. Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" is apparent in Johnny's song "Man in Black". If you have ever heard a Johnny Cash song you can hear a folksy upbeat guitar and a sad, genuine voice that is Jonny Cash's. In "Man in Black" Johnny sings: I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down/Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town/I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime/But is there because he's a victim of the times. This relates almost exactly to "The Minister's Black Veil" because the minister is wearing his veil for those who cannot come to terms with their secret sin and faults. He wears it as a reminder to these people and everyone around him just as Johnny Cash does. He does it because they will not or cannot. We see this when Johnny Cash's explanation when he sings: Ah I'd love to wear a rainbow every day/And tell the world that everything's ok/But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back/Till' things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black. to sum it up, Cash is saying that until there is no more darkness and sin in the world, he will be a reminder to society until things are lighter and brighter just as the Minster says in "The Minister's Black Veil" that our veils of darkness are only taken off when we exit the world (death) and until then he will wear his veil as a reminder to everyone of secret sin.
Cogent point: both Cash and Hooper are determined to wear their veils until the end of their lives.
DeleteIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “The Ministers Black Veil” the main character, Mr. Hooper, is covered by a black veil that drapes over his face leaving only his chin and mouth to be seen. This symbolizes his sin. I chose to compare this to the song “The Man in Black” by Johnny Cash. This song is similar to Hawthorne’s short story for many reasons. For example, the song explains how a man only wears black. The reason the man does this is because he knows of all the sadness in the world. Cash says, “But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right, you’ll never see me wear a suit of white.” This quote means that until the day comes when people in society can help others and not just themselves, the man will continue to wear black. However if the day comes when people begin to help others, you will know because the man will be wearing a suit of white. In the story “The Ministers Black Veil”, people throughout the town feel very uneasy and disturbed when Mr. Hooper, the priest, arrives in church for the first time with the veil on. To Mr. Hooper the veil represents secret sin, which he believes everyone has. In the text, Hooper explains how every person has something that they are hiding and that metaphorical veils cover the secret sins of the people. To sum up, “The Ministers Black Veil” and “The Man in Black” are similar because both the song and short story talk of men being questioned on what they’re wearing.
ReplyDelete"To sum up, “The Ministers Black Veil” and “The Man in Black” are similar because both the song and short story talk of men being questioned on what they’re wearing." This is not the main idea; don't end your response like this. You touched upon a more valid similarity earlier: "This quote means that until the day comes when people in society can help others and not just themselves, the man will continue to wear black. However if the day comes when people begin to help others, you will know because the man will be wearing a suit of white." Both Hooper and Cash are determined to use their symbols until they die or a change comes.
DeleteIn "Minister's Black Veil", Minister Hooper wears a black veil for a good portion of his life. He does this to symbolize "secret sin", aka sins that you hide and keep to yourself. He wore this veil to his death, showing that the veil can only come off with death (your sins and wrongs are revealed after you die). Hooper does this to invoke guilt in all the peoples of his town into realization of these secret sins. in "Live Oak", Isbell sings about how his old self was a horrible person, and he tries to hide it from his lover for as long as he can. He feels guilty because he knows what he did was bad, but he can never change it. He also feels guilty that this old self is how she thinks of him, as seen when he sings, "And I wonder who she's pinin' for on nights I'm not around Could it be the man who did the things I'm living now?". He is saying that, when he's not around, she may have the memory of him being this horrible guy when she thinks of him. He also brings this up when she dies later. He does not want her to have her last memory of him be the horrible, rough guy that he used to be.
ReplyDeleteBoth "The Minister's Black Veil" and "Live Oak" refer to guilt and secret sin. Isbell has secret sin, aka his old self. He feels guilty about this old self because he knows he could ruin his relationship with his wife. He tries to hide this old self from his lover, but, eventually, he tells her due to rumors of his old self spreading around town. He is also guilty that he corrupted her view of him, because he knows she would have been much better without knowing, and he didn't want to bring her in on it. Isbell wore a "veil", like in "The Minister's Black Veil", like everyone does. Although his did not come off at death, he eventually had to reveal this sin.
"He is also guilty that he corrupted her view of him, because he knows she would have been much better without knowing, and he didn't want to bring her in on it." Not sure about this...
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ReplyDeleteIn the short story “The Ministers Black Veil” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne the pastor Mr. Hooper decides to voluntary wear a black veil covering his face for the rest of his life. The townspeople are uneasy about his appearance and this turns the the towns folk to secluding Mr.Hooper from their lives. They begin to wonder why he bears the veil and what he is hiding under it. However ironically, Mr.hooper is showing more of himself while wearing the veil. The black veil is symbolic to the mental veil that hides our guilt and sins. We all have our own veils but he is the only one to physically show it. The black veil was similar to a mirror, when the townsfolk saw the veil it brought out their sins and guilt through the shunning of Mr.Hooper. Therefore the people metaphorically saw their own sins by seeing the veil. In conclusion the theme of the short story is human nature. For example it is instinct to stay away from different than us, such as the town secluded Mr.Hooper. Another example is that it is our nature to hide our mistakes and mishaps so we are accepted in society, therefore relating to the veil.
ReplyDeleteOne song that fits this story well is "Long Black Veil" by The Band. The song talks of a man who is accused of murdering someone, but wont clear his name because he was actually committing adultery. His black veil was was the sin of adultery, and this veil held him back. In this case taking away his freedom unless he removed his veil. In conclusion to move on and be a good person you need to first remove your own "black veil".
Not sure about your conclusion, Tim. Hooper doesn't remove his veil. The woman in the song does not remove her veil, and the speaker of the song takes his secret to the grave.
DeleteThe song “Long Black Veil” by The Band is similar to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil” in several ways. First of all, a black veil is worn in both the story and the song, and this black veil represents guilt for an action they may regret. In “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Mr. Hooper is wearing the veil to remind everyone that even a person held in such high esteem as himself and is well known for being a good man, has sinned and so have all of them; they all have some secret that they haven’t told anyone. They all wear a black veil, metaphorically of course; and the veil is only removed when we die. In “Long Black Veil,” a story is told of a man who was killed under the town hall light. A man who looked like the killer is blamed and is sentenced to death unless he has an alibi. He has one, he was with his best friend’s wife that night, and if he were to tell everyone that, he would have to live with the guilt forever and everyone would know. So he chooses not to answer and is killed. His best friend’s wife visits his grave at night “in a long black veil she cries over my bones.” The black veil represents her guilt and going at night indicates it as a secret. Like Mr. Hooper and all others, she has a secret sin. Also, this song reminds me of the book The Crucible. The man has an affair and is reluctant to tell anyone; like in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Proctor has an affair with Abigail who worked in his house. He is too reluctant to tell, but he eventually does, but is still sentenced to death because he refuses to sign a paper stating it. I guess Proctor was wearing a black veil himself.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is that we all, whether we realize it or not, have a secret sin or something we are not proud of and are hiding from everyone; that we are all essentially wearing a black veil representing this. The theme of “Long Black Veil” by The Band has a related theme. The man who was killed feared living of the guilt of sleeping with his best friend’s wife, and the wife felt guilt for having an affair; she may even somewhat feel guilty for the man’s death. Anyway, they both wore this metaphorical veil and so did Mr. Hooper. These stories share a common message: we are all guilty of something we are hiding from others. We all bear this sin with us and hide it from all others, like hiding your face, or who you really are, behind a long black veil.
The song “Long Black Veil” by The Band is similar to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil” in several ways. First of all, a black veil is worn in both the story and the song, and this black veil represents guilt for an action they may regret. In “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Mr. Hooper is wearing the veil to remind everyone that even a person held in such high esteem as himself and is well known for being a good man, has sinned and so have all of them; they all have some secret that they haven’t told anyone. They all wear a black veil, metaphorically of course; and the veil is only removed when we die. In “Long Black Veil,” a story is told of a man who was killed under the town hall light. A man who looked like the killer is blamed and is sentenced to death unless he has an alibi. He has one, he was with his best friend’s wife that night, and if he were to tell everyone that, he would have to live with the guilt forever and everyone would know. So he chooses not to answer and is killed. His best friend’s wife visits his grave at night “in a long black veil she cries over my bones.” The black veil represents her guilt and going at night indicates it as a secret. Like Mr. Hooper and all others, she has a secret sin. Also, this song reminds me of the book The Crucible. The man has an affair and is reluctant to tell anyone; like in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Proctor has an affair with Abigail who worked in his house. He is too reluctant to tell, but he eventually does, but is still sentenced to death because he refuses to sign a paper stating it. I guess Proctor was wearing a black veil himself.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is that we all, whether we realize it or not, have a secret sin or something we are not proud of and are hiding from everyone; that we are all essentially wearing a black veil representing this. The theme of “Long Black Veil” by The Band has a related theme. The man who was killed feared living of the guilt of sleeping with his best friend’s wife, and the wife felt guilt for having an affair; she may even somewhat feel guilty for the man’s death. Anyway, they both wore this metaphorical veil and so did Mr. Hooper. These stories share a common message: we are all guilty of something we are hiding from others. We all bear this sin with us and hide it from all others, like hiding your face, or who you really are, behind a long black veil.
Oh, Proctor is definitely wearing a veil, but he removes it in an attempt to save his wife.
DeleteIn "The Minister's Black Veil" written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mr. Hooper, the local minister, starts to wear a black veil, all the time. By him doing so, he symbolizes a "secret sin." A way of silently telling the people that they all have something they're hiding, whether it be little or small, they all have a secret. The Minister took a literal way of interpreting "secret sin" by physically wearing a black veil that covers his face down to above his chin. The Minister had said that you wear your veil until you die, meaning that your sins are gone, released, after you die, and he does just that. Although, his veil isn't physically lifted off his face, his "secret sins" have been set free.
ReplyDeleteIn the song "Live Oak" by Jason Isbell, the man in the song has a very troubled past. The song describes his life, past and present. He falls in love with this girl, but he's afraid that throughout everything he's done in the past, that she'll think of him for who he was then, and not now, "There's a man who walks beside me, it is who I used to be, and I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me..." In this song, it talks about what the man had done, "Rumors of my wickedness had reached our little town, soon she'd heard about the boys I used to hang around. We'd robbed a Great Lakes freighter, killed a couple men or more..." He's worried that she will only be able to see who he was then and not get past it.
The theme of "The Minister's Black Veil" would be "secret sin" which also ties in with the song "Live Oak" by Jason Isbell. In "The Minister's Back Veil" the Minister wears a black veil as a symbol of how everyone is hiding something, and in the song, the man reveals his past, he reveals what he's been hiding.
I don't know why, Vanessa, but your response led me to the conclusion that both the song and the story lack hope. This is not a criticism.
DeleteGood insights!
One morning Reverend Hooper, the main character in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s parable: The Minister’s Black Veil, left his house wearing a black veil over his face. The theme introduced in this story is guilt and the veil that Hooper wears is symbolic of the “secret sins” that people have to hide. The characters in the story find that the veil made them feel uncomfortable. Despite his congregations feelings the minister continued to wear the veil to his death in effort to get people to realize the secret sins that they keep hidden. This story is parallel to the song, The Long Black Veil, originally made famous by Lefty Frizzell and later redone by The Band. The song and the story are not only similar in the theme of guilt and shame but also the symbolism of a veil and “secret sin.”
ReplyDeleteThe song begins with a narrator telling a story of a murder ten years ago. The narrator is the ghost of the man who was falsely accused for committing the murder. Although the man was innocent he never spoke up and could not give the judge an alibi. The reason for this was that on the night of the murder he had been “…although it meant my life. I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife.” He could not speak up, even though it meant his death, because of his guilt and shame of having an affair with his best friend’s wife. Then the narrator says that “She walks these hills in a long black veil.” His friend’s wife now lives with the “secret sin” of having an affair. She hides it behind her “long black veil.”
Joey, is there a similarity here? Hooper wears the veil as an admission of guilt; neither the man nor the woman in the song admit to their sins.
DeleteAlso, cutting it close, Miller. Go to bed!
In the short story “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne the theme of the story is self guilt and hidden sins. Mr. Hooper in the story wears a black veil that covers his face because it is a strong symbol that all people have their own sins and wrong doings that most put away. Everyone looks at him thinking he is strange and is this man who should be shameful. But, he is really just acknowledging that he has committed sins and that others all around need to come clean too. I related the short story with the song "Man in Black" because theirs meanings are close to each other. Johnny Cash states the reason why he wears black clothing is for all the terrible things in the world that is going by while we are just looking and doing nothing. He is saying people have sins in them also because of all the events happening and he wears black to let everyone know he actually sees what is going on and acknowledges it. He states, "And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,Believen' that the Lord was on their side,I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,Believen' that we all were on their side" which means the reason why some people are dead are because of our sins that had them die or the trust they thought they had with us before they were killed of died. Cash says also, "But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
ReplyDeleteYou'll never see me wear a suit of white" meaning just like Mr. Hooper and the veil he will continue to wear the item until others realize what they do or change for the good. Mr. Hopper did wrong in his life so he wore black to represent his guilt and sin and Johnny Cash's theme for his song was guilt and wearing black to show sin and what others have done also. They are both very similar and their themes intertwine with each other by sin.
"which means the reason why some people are dead are because of our sins that had them die or the trust they thought they had with us before they were killed of died." I don't think Cash is implying that soldiers are dead due to some sort of sin; rather, he is pointing out that soldiers are united by the belief that they are doing good, i.e. God is on their side. This is in itself a tragic irony. Also, I think Cash is referencing a Bob Dylan song: "With God on Our Side."
DeleteThere are several similarities between "Minister's Black Veil," and “Man in Black." The theme of The Black Veil is human error and and human nature. We naturally make mistakes, whether or not we choose to learn from them, is our choice. Reverend Hooper one day disguises himself with a black veil. This causes people to look away, not wanting to face him. “He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face." People look to him as a spiritual leader, seeking guidance, and answers for internal questions. And in doing so, faced with nothing but darkness, covering the window to the ones soul, it forces you to then face yourself. This brings back things you have done wrong, and your true weaknesses, which make people want to avoid you.
ReplyDeleteMan in Black composed by Johnny Cash, is very symbolic. The theme is along the lines recognition, beings that Cash sites several downsides to society, the people who are suffering. “I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime. But is there because he's a victim of the times.” He wears black as is “signature” color, and this is just one reason. When looking at him, he wants you to know why. It represents those who suffer for their sin(s), or those who are suffering from others who have sinned, directly affecting them. His could possibly make you think about your sins, as in “Ministers Black Veil,” and possibly make you a better person, thinking about the consequences (good or bad) of your actions.
"It represents those who suffer for their sin(s), or those who are suffering from others who have sinned, directly affecting them. His could possibly make you think about your sins, as in “Ministers Black Veil,” and possibly make you a better person, thinking about the consequences (good or bad) of your actions." Well put!
DeleteIn the short story , “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character, Mr. Hooper, wears a black veil that hides most of his face. This black veil symbolizes the sins, shame, and guilt that the minister bears. When the towns people who attended his sermons looked at the veil, it gave them an odd and peculiar feeling. A feeling of guilt, shame, and sin created uneasiness. Because of this unpleasant feeling the townspeople shunned him from society. No one invited him to lunch, no one spoke to him, and no one looked at him.
ReplyDeleteThe song I chose was Johnny Cash’s “The Man in Black” because Johnny Cash is the man or the big man as rob would say. Johnny Cash’s song “The Man in Black shows many parallels to the famous short story “The Ministers Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. They both talk about a man that wears black to symbolize guilt and sin. Nothing but black for Mr. Cash and a black veil for Mr. Hooper. Not only do Johnny Cash and Mr. Hooper use the color black to show their own secret sin, but to show that other people have secret sin as well.
Tom?
Deletethis is tom's
DeleteIn the short story, "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character, Mr. Hooper is a prirest who wears a black veil that covers the main features of his face. This veil symbolizes a wall that hides the sins, gulit, and dishonor. The veil gave the townspeople an unsettling feeling when they attended his sermons. The inability to see their own preacher's face gave them an uneasy feeling. Due to the black veil upon his face, the townspeople avoided him and neglected to associate with him.\
ReplyDeleteThe song i chose was Jason Isbell's "Live Oak". "Live Oak" and "The Minister's Black Veil" show some striking similarities. They both describe a man who is embarassed and ashamed of their past. Mr. Hooper uses the veil to hide his true self from his congregation and the townspeople. While the character in "Live Oak" is trying to hide his past from a woman that he loves. Both "stories" describe men who are trying to tuck their past away so that the people they love do not find out the truth.
"Mr. Hooper uses the veil to hide his true self from his congregation and the townspeople." I think the veil is an attempt to represent himself honestly: though he is a pious minister, he too has secret sins.
DeleteIselected the song " The Man in Black" by Johnny Cash to compare the short story "The Ministers Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne to because the short story is about a minister who wears a black veil that is meant to represent the shame, guilt, and secret sin that people often try to conceal from society. The veil is a physical symbol that's purpose is to express to people that everyone is wearing a black veil. Similarly, in the song " Man in Black" wears black to symbolize the bad in the world and how people simply choose to ignore it or hid it. " I wear black for the poor and beaten down, living in the hopeless hungry side of town." Both use the color and clothing black to send the message that there is wrong and sin everywhere in the world but people just choose to hid it. The minister and Johnny Cash are the only ones who have the courage to except and admit the ugly truth. The theme of both the song by Johnny Cash and the short story but Nathaniel Hawthorne is once again Both refer to hid sin and wrong doing worldly.
ReplyDeleteSome solid insight, but this is late and a tad short.
DeleteFirst, I would like to apologize for the lateness of this assignment. My computer has been having quite a bit of problems and (as you probably read my mother’s email to you) a lot has been going on. I would also like to note that I really enjoyed the song “Live Oak.” So here goes:
ReplyDeleteIn Nathaniel Hawthorn’s “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Mr. Hooper takes on a clever tactic of ministry. He wears a black veil that shields his face from the view of his people. He wore the black veil to show his followers that everyone has a secret sin, including himself. And they have to acknowledge their sin in order to free themselves from it. Mr. Hooper tries to be a symbol of not only his own sin, but everybody else’s. However, his approach at showing his people that he has secret sin and that he can see theirs as well, makes his people uncomfortable, fearful, and in disdainful towards him. The black veil shows who a person truly is. It shows them at their worst, even if they appear flawless on the exterior. The veil exposes the blemished, “black,” and sinful insides of people. In the song “Live Oak” by Jason Isbell, he sings “There's a man who walks beside me. It is who I used to be.” He recognizes that he is not exactly what everyone thinks he is. He knows his past and that is was negative. The “man” who walks beside him, represents his black veil. It is the flawed and troubled man that he once was. It is his secret sin.
People are imperfect creations. We all have sinned in some way in our lives. Many of us refuse to admit it. Many of us are stubborn. But the truth of the matter is that we’ve all done something shameful in the eyes of ourselves or another at some point in our lives. By nature, admitting to anything wicked is difficult. People try to be perfect. But the more one tries to be perfect, the more obvious his/her sins become. He/she is putting on an act, or living the life of a different person instead of showing the true “man or woman that walks beside him/her” revealing all their impurities.
"In Nathaniel Hawthorn’s “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Mr. Hooper takes on a clever tactic of ministry." Well put! The veil, although it ruins his personal life, strengthens his abilities as a minister.
DeletePaint it Black by the Rolling Stones is one of my favorite “darker” songs. Its very catchy and I can really feel the emotional toll that the depression and sins(Black veil) have on his everyday life. Although Mick Jagger did not ever experience any of the events he writes about, it really hits hard. When you really look into the song it very is meaningful and that’s why so many people LOVE the Rolling Stones. SO…for this essay I will pull apart this song limb from limb so you can truly understand the beauty that Mick has created.
ReplyDelete“I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black”
This depressed man no longer wants color. Like the Giver or I Love Lucy, he only wants to see black because he wants every color to fit his mood.
“I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes”
When seeing these pretty girls walking around in short skirts and tank tops he feels attracted to them. But to him it is a sin to feel that way because his girlfriend recently passed away(spoiler alert). So he looks away so he doesn’t feel guilty and then when they pass buy he can continue with his grieving.
“I see a line of cars and they're all painted black”
These “cars” would be referring to the Hearse and Limos going to a funeral.
“With flowers and my love, both never to come back”
When she is lowered into the grave with the flowers…neither of them will come back.
“I see people turn their heads and quickly look away”
At a funeral if you don’t feel comfortable looking at a person who directly lost their loved ones, it can be extremely awkward because you don’t know how they feel or what you should say to make them feel better. So a lot of times people quickly look away so they don’t have to feel obligated to talk.
“Like a newborn baby it just happens ev'ryday”
Like a new born baby death occurs every day. I believe that even though he is very upset you should treat him all the same. Using the same example….would you feel weird talking to a woman who has given birth to her new child? I hope not!
“I look inside myself and see my heart is black”
He is depressed. He sees black, hears black, and thinks black. The veil is clogging his mind. The man cannot function.
“I see my red door and it has been painted black”
He ambition and hope has been drowned in this “black paint”.
“Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black”
He wants to hide that his lover is. He doesn’t want to believe it so he will do the best he can do. He is going into a state of darkness, where he just basically wont live and that’s what his is hoping for. He doesn’t know how he could possibly live without her.
“No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not forsee this thing happening to you”
It was an unexpected and very sudden death.
“If I look hard enough into the setting sun
My love will laugh with me before the morning comes”
He is talking about her in Heaven with him laughing together happily.
“Black as night, black as coal
I wanna see the sun, blotted out from the sky”
He doesn’t even want the sun. This reminds me of when Einstein became really depressed and he painted his entire room black, drew the shudders and sat in misery. That sounds like the type of paradise this man would live in.
“I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black”
Finally, his depression has engulfed his soul. His girlfriend passing was one of the worst things to ever happen to him.
Like the Ministers Black Veil… depression and sin has taken over his life. Although he did not actually wear a black veil everywhere it was still there imprisoning him. And this is exactly what Mr. Hawthorne would have wanted us to see. Although he is not wearing something to symbolize his sin and depression, it is still there. Just like everyone in the world. You can hide it all you want but you still have your own black veil.
(Ill print this so it is easier to read. Thanks! -Sam)
Interesting. It's valid to assume that Hooper is depressed, though this is not the main idea. It's relevant to note that at the time, depression was not yet recognized as a mental illness.
DeleteNice use of the word exonerate. In regards to the story, I think people would realize it if Hooper was a serial killer: it's a small town. I think he is attempting to draw attention to the mundane sins we all harbor, the "banality of evil" if you will.
ReplyDeleteIn the short story "The Minister's Black Veil", Nathaniel Hawthorne writes about and elder minister who chooses to wear a black veil that covers the majority of his face, only revealing his mouth and chin. Mr. Hooper, the minister, chooses to wear the veil for the rest of his life, but is shunned by and turns away the people in his town. Everyone begins to question why Mr. Hooper wear the veil and what he is hiding beneath it. The black veil symbolizes guilt and secret sin. Mr. Hooper sends a message by wearing the veil. He shows that no matter how high up you're held on a pedestal, no matter you age, social class, gender or situation, you can still sin. Everyone has sinned and everyone continues to sin. Although people continue to hid their sins and say that they have not sinned, Mr. Hooper shows everyone that even he sins, by wearing the black veil. The aforementioned song that is similar to the story "The Minister's Black Veil", is "The Long Black Veil" by The Band. First of all, I choose this song due to its title. However, after listening to it, the similarity between the song and the short story seemed to click in my head. The song describes that there was a crime, and the man running from the crime scene looked just like the speaker of the song. The judge told the speaker of the song that if he said where he was the night of the crime, he could spare his own death. Unfortunately for the speaker, he could not say where he was that night since he was committing a totally different crime. Adultery. The speaker was having an affair with his best friend's wife, so, he was sentenced to death. During the funeral, his best friend's wife did not shed a tear, but wore a black veil. Afterwards, she would visit his grave wearing a black veil, showing her sin. No one knew of the affair, he took it to his grave, as will she.
ReplyDeleteit relates to depression and sin . because the song live oaks by Jason isbell theme of it says that sin covers the whole body and no one can ever come between it. I picture as being more sadistic in Satanism. The main theme proves to be revealed sin and underlying guilt, with Hooper's method of preaching being to wear his sin on his face in a literal way. The townspeople grow uncomfortable with him because they start to become aware of their own sin. Hawthorne keeps the motive of the veil unknown to the reader. But the interpretation of the story generally rests on some moral assessment or explanation of the minister's symbolic self-veiling. Literary critic Edgar Allan Poe proposed that the issue of the minister's self-veiling was a mystery conceived to be solved or inferred by the reader. While Poe proposed this, Hawthorne never lets the reader know the reasoning behind the veil. While the veil is the main symbol in the story, it is also ironic. Hooper, in his stubborn use of the veil parable of one sin, is unconsciously guilty of a greater sin: that of egotistically warping the total meaning of life.
ReplyDeleteIn all three short stories and song, there is a theme of knowing something about a sin and having the main characters' lives change for the worse because of it. In the song "Long Black Veil", the narrator committed a sin when he says, "I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife", which is adultery. He was accused of murder that had happened on that same night, but he couldn't prove that he was innocent because then he would've had to admit his sin. Because of this, he was never proven innocent and was hung for it. In Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown", Goodman Brown supposedly dreams about finding out that the most holiest people in his town are actually the most sinful and follow the devil. After that, he never trusted anyone anymore, as can be seen when he snatches the little girl away when Goody Cloyse was talking to her and when it says,, "A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man, did he become, from the night of that fearful dream." His life was never the same after the dream about sins and it was depressing. In the short story "the Minister's Black Veil", Mr. Hooper, one day, suddenly wears a black veil that covers his face. It is later revealed that it represents sin, his and of the people around him. It shows that people are too focused on other people's sins to look at their own. The story states, "The next day, the whole village of Milford talked of little else than Parson Hooper's black veil. That, and the mystery concealed behind it, supplied a topic for discussion between acquaintances meeting in the street, and good women gossiping at their open windows." This shows that everyone cared a little too much about his business. Some people thought that it represented Mr. Hooper's sins, but they were only partially correct. The people in the town finally realized what it meant when Mr. Hooper was on his deathbed and honored the veil even after he died because they realized that he had been showing them what they were trying to hide. After Mr. Hooper took the initiative to wear the veil for the rest of his life, it ruined his life because no one wanted to go near him anymore, but it was for a good cause.
ReplyDeleteIn the two short stories and the song, the main characters' lives are ruined after an event occurred that was related to sin. In "Long Black Veil", he committed a sin that led to his hanging. In "Young Goodman Brown", Brown's dream about human nature and sins deeply affected his life and he was never able to recover from it. Finally, in "the Minister's Black Veil", choosing to wear the black veil to show people their sins caused Mr. Hooper to live a lonely life.
I believe Johnny Cash's "Man in Black" relates to "The Minister's Black Veil", by Nathaniel Hawthorne, quite nicely. "Man in Black" talks about a man who always dresses in black as he explains his reasoning throughout the song. This man says that he does this for the poor, for prisoners, for the sick and elderly. He wears it for martyrs and those who have died, and plenty others. Out of all the verses talking about who he wears black for, one stanza stands out. The third stanza states that,
ReplyDelete"I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me."
From
This is similar to the minister who wore a black veil. By wearing his black veil, his preaching became more effective, and more people cried out for him, "the black veil had the one desirable effect, of making its wearer a very efficient clergyman." From . The Minister's Black Veil is about a minister who suddenly starts wearing this mysterious veil. It starts to drive people away from him and he becomes distant from the townspeople he once knew very well. The people gossiped and the children fled. Even on his deathbed, he refused to take it off. He said that he would never take it off while he was alive and that the people could not judge him because they also had black veils, symbolizing their sins and follies. This is kind of like the seventh stanza,
"Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white."
From
because the minister would not remove the veil until man lived up to certain expectations.
"When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster" From
Jason Isbell's "Live Oak", relates to Young Goodman Brown in the sense that "Live Oak" talks about a man who walks beside him, and in Young Goodman Brown, there is a man who walks with Young Goodman Brown who is particularly regarded as evil, while in "live Oak the man is his less than desirable self. They both talk about a woman they love, but the song says that the woman does not love the real him, while in Young Goodman Brown, Brown's wife loves him, but he is deranged by the end so he doesn’t love her as much. (Because of his hellish experience). The connections for the previous two are kind of rough, sorry.
I believe Johnny Cash's "Man in Black" relates to "The Minister's Black Veil", by Nathaniel Hawthorne, quite nicely. "Man in Black" talks about a man who always dresses in black as he explains his reasoning throughout the song. This man says that he does this for the poor, for prisoners, for the sick and elderly. He wears it for martyrs and those who have died, and plenty others. Out of all the verses talking about who he wears black for, one stanza stands out. The third stanza states that,
ReplyDelete"I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me."
From
This is similar to the minister who wore a black veil. By wearing his black veil, his preaching became more effective, and more people cried out for him, "the black veil had the one desirable effect, of making its wearer a very efficient clergyman." From . The Minister's Black Veil is about a minister who suddenly starts wearing this mysterious veil. It starts to drive people away from him and he becomes distant from the townspeople he once knew very well. The people gossiped and the children fled. Even on his deathbed, he refused to take it off. He said that he would never take it off while he was alive and that the people could not judge him because they also had black veils, symbolizing their sins and follies. This is kind of like the seventh stanza,
"Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white."
From
because the minister would not remove the veil until man lived up to certain expectations.
"When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster" From
Jason Isbell's "Live Oak", relates to Young Goodman Brown in the sense that "Live Oak" talks about a man who walks beside him, and in Young Goodman Brown, there is a man who walks with Young Goodman Brown who is particularly regarded as evil, while in "live Oak the man is his less than desirable self. They both talk about a woman they love, but the song says that the woman does not love the real him, while in Young Goodman Brown, Brown's wife loves him, but he is deranged by the end so he doesn’t love her as much. (Because of his hellish experience). The connections for the previous two are kind of rough, sorry.
The song I picked that is similar to the short story “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the song “Live Oak” by Jason Isbells. Both the song and the story are similar where both talks about guilt. The characters had done some sinful deeds in the past and they reflect on it as their life continues. They along with other people that are guilty for their sins committed in the past try to hide it from others. Reverend Mr. Hooper from “The Minister’s Black Veil” lives in Milford wearing a peculiar article of clothing. This article of clothing being a black veil that covers his face. This is very mysterious and thus the reason was sought out for by the townspeople. The reason is because he is trying to his a sin he committed in the past. At his death bed during his last hour, Mr. Hooper says, “When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!" He states others have sins they are keeping secret when they will be treated differently when the sin is unearthed while he is the only one to be blamed because of his symbol, the black veil, The song “Live Oak” talks about an old-time gangster who had robbed trains and “killed a couple men or more”. He meets many women every couple of days but one night he falls for one of them. He confesses to this girl about his love for her but she is then lost. Isbell repeatedly says, “There's a man who walks beside her, it is who I used to be. And I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me“. The gangster reveals his sins to the girl he falls for which he worries about. The girl now knows the man as another person and thus might look at him differently.
ReplyDeleteThe theme in “The Minister’s Black Veil” is that people hide their “secret sins” and to add to the theme, Mr. Hooper’s black veil is also a symbol where, unlike others, Mr. Hooper shows he is guilty causing others who are guilty to fear him thus separating him from his wife and old friends. This shows the sins of the past can lead the future to be painful mentally for someone. They may live their lives lonely void of any happiness. This seems to be the case for the man in the song “Live Oak”. He had done many terrible acts in the past. He then tells a girl about it. Sad story short she dies while the man is anguished with how she feels about him thus living a life of unhappiness living as a sorrowful man.
In the short story "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Minister Hooper, the main character, wears a black veil. Hooper’s followers strongly disapprove of the veil, and even his own fiancé cannot seem to comprehend the reason why he choses to conceal his face behind the veil. Throughout the progression of the story, the veil continues to create a negative impression on his personal life and career, but Hooper refuses to remove it because to him , the black veil represents a bigger picture that the ones around him are unaware of. The veil is a symbol of secret sin and how everyone has certain things that they are hiding. Hooper believes we all wear a veil that hides our true self, and we wear it until the day we die. Once we die, we are freed from public opinion and the veil can be lifted. In the song "Long Black Veil" by The Band, a similar story is told where it is stated, "She walks these hills in a long black veil, she visits my grave where the night winds wail, nobody knows and nobody sees nobody knows but me." This quote proves that the woman is holding on to the secret of her long gone affair because she cannot speak about what she has done so she allows her black veil hide to her dark truth.
ReplyDeleteIn this world lies sin and guilt. Everyone has a secret and everyone has performed tasks that they are not proud of. However, in society, people often tend to hide their flaws in order to appear to be perfect rather than admitting their wrongdoings to the world. To many, it is the image that matters, not the truth that is concealed behind our black veils so much that we end up losing touch with the truth and our fantasy becomes reality. This is seen in both "The Minister’s Black Veil", and "Long Black Veil". Therefore, it can also be implied that Minister Hooper and the woman in "The Long Black Veil" are admirable in their honesty because they let everyone know that they are all doing the same thing in common: hiding their sin and seemingly appearing perfect to others. These two stories of guilt and hidden secrets are perfect examples of how necessary it has become to hide from yourself opposed to actually being yourself. Overall, the theme of "The Minister’s Black Veil" is guilt, and this is also a theme expressed in the song "Long Black Veil". People feel guilt not just for the things that they have done but also for the fact that society will judge them and not accept them.
The Man in Black, by Johnny Cash, is about Cash wearing black as a symbol for the less fortunate. By wearing the black, he transforms into a living representation of this group of people. In the Ministers Black Veil, Parson Hooper wears the veil to try showing the townspeople that everyone has secret sins that they cannot run from, which is also the theme of "The Ministers Black Veil". When Parson Hooper puts on the veil, he, like cash, becomes a living symbol. He is even put into his grave with the veil hanging over his face, that way his life will be a symbol forever. Sadly, another subtheme of the story is that you shouldn’t judge somebody for doing something different. When Hooper put on the veil, people assumed he had an affair, or he was hiding some deep, dark, sin. They also said that his masses became darker, and eerier. Just because of a change in wardrobe. When Cash says "But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
ReplyDelete'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black." he is saying that he is willing to sacrifice his happiness in order to create happiness for the less fortunate. Parson Hooper says a similar line, by saying "then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!". When Hooper says this, he says that he transformed himself into a life that represents more than himself. He represents the problems in the town. He represents everybody.
The Man in Black, by Johnny Cash, is about Cash wearing black as a symbol for the less fortunate. By wearing the black, he transforms into a living representation of this group of people. In the Ministers Black Veil, Parson Hooper wears the veil to try showing the townspeople that everyone has secret sins that they cannot run from, which is also the theme of "The Ministers Black Veil". When Parson Hooper puts on the veil, he, like cash, becomes a living symbol. He is even put into his grave with the veil hanging over his face, that way his life will be a symbol forever. Sadly, another subtheme of the story is that you shouldn’t judge somebody for doing something different. When Hooper put on the veil, people assumed he had an affair, or he was hiding some deep, dark, sin. They also said that his masses became darker, and eerier. Just because of a change in wardrobe. When Cash says "But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
ReplyDelete'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black." he is saying that he is willing to sacrifice his happiness in order to create happiness for the less fortunate. Parson Hooper says a similar line, by saying "then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!". When Hooper says this, he says that he transformed himself into a life that represents more than himself. He represents the problems in the town. He represents everybody.
“The Man in Black” by Johnny Cash tells the reason for which he wears black. The song represents the many problems in the world and how despite everything seeming fine from one point of view from another everything seems darker and bleak because no matter what everyone turns a blind eye when these problems are presented directly to them. The Minister's Black Veil and Young Goodman Brown both center around sin and how people maintain these sins and the sins of others hidden away from common view and when presented no one really acknowledges them or they turn away from them. Both the song and the stories center around how people either hide their problems or just do not acknowledge them either because of fear or they do not want to believe that these problems are true. Goodman Brown started as a pure man married to Faith whom took a journey through the woods and by the end realized that everyone he knew where nothing more than sinners including his wife faith, in a sense the journey was not only his separation from faith but also the death of it. One of the reason for which Johnny Cash wears black is for “the thousands who have died,
ReplyDeleteBelieven' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.”
this means that he wears black for people who actually believed that not only was their faith going to protect them but also others around them when in actuality their faith was dead and they were truly alone as Goodman Brown discovered on his journey through the woods. By wearing black Johnny cash is the physical reminder that there are problems in the world and every time people saw him wearing black it was as a reminder of these problems according to the man in the black, much like Rev. Hooper who wore the veil as a representation of his sin reminding people the no matter how kind or how religious you may be in the end every is a sinner no matter how hard people may try to deny this by not admitting to these sins.
The song and the two short stories all end with the same conclusion no matter what you believe no matter what you want the world has problems and is filled with sinners no matter how hard someone may try to hide this fact or outright deny it everyone is a sinner, the only difference being that some actually recognize this fact and not afraid to recognize the fact that no one is perfect and everyone has made mistakes.
The song "The Man in Black" by Johnny Cash is a song that exemplifies some elements of the short stories "The Minister's Black Veil" and "Young Goodman Brown." The song is similar to the story "The Minister's Black Veil" because they both show how people have these barriers and covers to cover things in them. The two show how people will use items to help mask things about them or use items to represent things about them. For example, in the song, Johnny Cash uses his general clothing to represent the troubles of the people. In the story, Mr. Hooper uses a veil to protect his troubles and his sins, and he also uses it to represent many things such as his disconnection from society. The song and the story "Goodman Brown" are similar because they both show how everyone has something going on. This world isn't perfect and no one is perfect. The song states how Johnny Cash wears black clothing for all the people that are having trouble and the song also states that he would love to wear rainbow every day to represent happy and joy, but he knows that this won't work because the whole world will never be okay and everyone has a little trouble. Similarly, "Goodman Brown" tells a story and at a point, the main character sees everyone as witches having a meeting. This represents the bad side in everyone and how no one is perfect and everyone has a little trouble in their lives. The thing that brings all three items together is the lesson that teaches us how everyone has trouble. The theme that these pieces of literature give to us, is the theme that no one is perfect. Everyone, though it may not seem so, has troubles. People you meet will put up a barrier, kind of like a smile, to protect them from all of the outside. Everyone believes that if they put up a barrier, they will be hidden from their sins, their wrongdoings, their troubles. Those things are what lets you talk about these pieces in the same conversation. The theme of people trying to use protection to stay away from the outside world, is the theme that can be applied to all three pieces and is also the theme that connects them.
ReplyDelete