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  • Essay / Damage caused by assumptions in Hawthorne's book The Minister...

    The damage that can result from assumptions is much greater than most people realize today. “The Minister's Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a short story that shows the sad truth about how society makes false assumptions about others. Throughout the story, the townspeople's assumptions about Mr. Hooper cause them and Mr. Hooper much distress and grief. During the last scene of the story, Mr. Hooper lies on his deathbed with the minister of Westbury, Elizabeth and a handful of others at his side. The Westbury minister tries to convince Mr. Hooper to remove his veil. Mr. Hooper refuses, shouting: “Never... On earth, never!” (7). The minister exclaims, “With what horrible crime do you pass judgment,” leading Mr. Hooper to express his feelings towards the village (7). He was disgusted that they were so concerned about his veil that they began to avoid him. From this death scene, the reader begins to notice all the tragic consequences caused by the village's assumptions about Mr. Hooper. Hooper's fiancée Elizabeth does a commercial...