Symbols in "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorn

I bet you are wondering, what is the symbol in this story. Well, let's talk about the symbol. In this short story, Mr. Hooper, was the minister in a wedding, but he was wearing a black veil. Not very good with a wedding, because a wedding is is a happy moment. Not a sad moment. This veil starts a discussion over why he is wearing this veil. When there was a funeral, and he let the dead young girl "see" his face. Afterwords, some people "saw" him walking hand and hand with the dead girl. It was appropriate on that context, but not at a wedding. In my literature class, we thought he was hiding sin because of this funeral moment. We thought he had been cheating on his fiancée with this young girl. The main topic of this story and in the story is the black veil. That is why the symbol is the black veil. At the end it says,
"Father Hooper's breath heaved; it rattled in his throat; but, with a mighty effort, grasping forward with his hands, he caught hold of life, and held it back till he should speak. He even raised himself in bed; and there he sat, shivering with the arms of death around him, while the black veil hung down, awful at that last moment, in the gathered terrors of a lifetime. And yet the faint, sad smile, so often there, now seemed to glimmer from its obscurity, and linger on Father Hooper's lips.

"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!"

While his auditors shrank from one another, in mutual affright, Father Hooper fell back upon his pillow, a veiled corpse, with a faint smile lingering on the lips. Still veiled, they laid him in his coffin, and a veiled corpse they bore him to the grave. The grass of many years has sprung up and withered on that grave, the burial stone is moss-grown, and good Mr. Hooper's face is dust; but awful is still the thought that it mouldered beneath the Black Veil!"

That is why I think that the symbol is the black veil, and why I think that.

Stolen Party

This story is saying that everything is not always what it seems to be. It says that people can easily be taken advantage of and mistreated just because of what society class you are in. Its says that people demean you and degrade you just based on your background, history, and family. This story starts up your brain and makes it think critically about all the prejudice and discrimination that going on the during the 21st century. Stolen Party push me to prove all the people who think that just because I am Jamaican that I will never amount to anything wrong. I will do this by getting a good job and making something out of myself so I can go back and show then that they were stereotypical and wrong

The Stolen Party

The short story "The Stolen Party"is about a nine year old girl named Rosaura is going to her best friend,Luciana's birthday party. But Rosaura's mom is the maid for Luciana and her family. Rosaura's mom tries to tell her that shes not going for fun she is only going to help with the party, but she did not want to listen to her mom. so Rosaura went to the party despite her moms warning. When she approached Luciana's door step one of her cousins would not let Rosaura into the party. The reason she would let her in is because she said that she knew all of Luciana's friends but she has never met her. The reason she has never met her is because Luciana did not want her cousin to know that she hung out with these type of people. But she got in by kicking Lucian`s cousin in the shin, when no one was looking. When she got to the party she had the time of her life, but when the party was over, Senora Ines gave her money for all of her assistance. Then Rosaura realized that her mother was right Luciana was not her real friend, she was just nice to her.

"The Stolen Party"

The title of this story is very meaningful. This title means, that the party was "stolen" from Rosaura. This is because Rosaura expected that she would have an incredible time, thinking she was Luciana's "friend", but instead she discovered that she was just there to help Senora Ines. They took advantage of her being the maid's daughter. Also, Rosaura expected to recieve gifts or presents from Luciana becuase she was rich. Instead, she received two dollar bills for her HELP! Rosaura's mother was right, Rosaura was only the "maid's daughter" to Luciana. Which probably filled Rosaura with anger. As a reader, I could predict that Rosaura went home and cried her eyes out, for being so naive and actually thinking that Luciana was her friend. Then, its possible that Rosaura cried even longer and louder when she remembered Luciana's cousin, the one with the bow.

The irony of "The Stole Party"

In the short story "The Stolen Party", written by, Liliana Heker has irony because a girl named Rosura was going to a so called "friends" party but ends up working at the party without finding out until she left. This all stated when he told her mom she was going to her best friends party. Rosura's mom worked for Rosuras best friend as a maid because her best friend (lucian) is rich and Rosura's mom new that Luciana was going to use Rosura to help with the serving of the food and thing like that but she didn't believe her and she thought that she was lying. When she got to the party Luciana's cousin stopped Rosura because Luciana's cousin know all of of her friends. At the party she won all the games and was the magicians assistant but she also surved the kids cake and she was payed instead of getting a yo yo or bracelet like the other kids and she didn't find out until she left.

There was a great deal of irony in Liliana Hecker's"The Stolen Party". Rosaura was going to a party because her so called friend invited her. She was so naive she went even when her mother warned her that they might use her. When she went to the party, she was so happy to be there. She was dressed up and her was all nice. They tell her that she could be the magicians assistant and they let her serve the cake. Then at the end, when Senora Ines was passing out prizes to all of Luciana, Rosaura's friend, friends, instead of giving a prize she received money. That were the irony cones in. You probably excepted that she get a prize for coming but she got money. Why? Because Rosaura's mom was a maid. That's why she passed the cake and was an assistant and was payed actual money, because they were using her as a maid, just like her mom. To sum it all up, you expected Rosaura to have a good time and get a prize, but it turned it that she was being used.

The Stolen Party "Irony"

The Stolen Party shows a great level of irony through Rosaura and Luiciana. Their "friendship" was part of the irony because Rosaura thought she was her best friend but ironically Luciana was using their friendship so Rosaura can do most of the work. Like cleaning up and throwing out the cups etc. Actually, her mother warned her about this happening but Rosaura was so sure they were friends she didn't even worry about it. Her mother said that don't trust rich people, their liars. So Rosuara was definitely warned before she eve got ready to go, so she had time to stop and not go but she still went.
Evidence to support that Luciana was using Rosuara as a maid is towards the end of the story. While she was at the party she served the cake thinking that everyone would like her because of this. But their using her. Who goes to a party that's not yours and you serve the cake? I've personally never done that before. I don't understand how she didn't catch in to this. She was probably so excited to go she wasn't even thinking about it. This proves people aren't true friends. No matter how much you like people, some aren't true friends. This story made me think about who my friends are and if their using me for anything. Now every time I make a new friend i'll be sure to see what's really going on. To see what I'm not thinking. Poor Rosuara, when she grows up I hope she doesn't fall into this trap again.

My Reflections On Edgar Allen Poe's Statement Of "The Black Minister's Black Veil"by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Edgar Allan Poe speculated that Minister Hooper may have had an affair with the young lady who died at the beginning of the story, as this is the first day he wears the veil, "and that a crime of dark dye, (having reference to the young lady) has been committed, is a point which only minds congenial with that of the author will perceive."
- bookrags.com & Wikipanion application

I agree with Poe because taken the setting of this story which is a highly religious Pilgrim town, you would have to be insane to walk aroung in public with a black veil hiding your face. All of the clergy and church members were whispering among each other " Minister Hooper has gone mad!" The young lady may have caused him to wear this veil but as Mr.Mcnamar stated "Just because Poe said it does not mean it is true."

Babylon Revisited

A theme of Scott F. Fitzgerald short story "Babylon Revisited" is that your consequences to your actions can sometimes be severe. Your actions can have severe consequences is the theme because Charlie regrets of being reckless three years ago. He illustrates this theme through Charlie's actions of trying to make better of what he had done to deserve unhappiness. He used to be irresponsible and immature because in the story " he had actually, in his immature years, stolen a tricycle and pedaled Lorraine all over Étoile between the small hours of dawn", (Fitzgerald12)," We tried to call the president",( Fitzgerald11) when he was engaged with his wife. He didn't take controll or realize what had happened when his wife was dead and his daughter was taken away from his care. After his wife was dead his sister-in-law hated him because she accused him of taking part of her sisters death. So when Charlie returned she didn't want to hear him and did't trust him when he said that he had changed. In the story it said" her response was more frankly tepid, though she minimized her expression of unalterable distrust by directing her regard toward his child", (Fitzgerald3).

Uncle Rock

In the story "Uncle Rock", it talks about a boy named Erick who has to deal with his mom finding a man to take care of them .The story tells us that Erick is a quiet boy who does not talk, and he is always dealing with men who want to go on a date with his mom. From reading this story, I can predict that Erick is annoyed with it, and he may be jealous because his mom pays more attention to the men than him. However, the mom talks to men with elegant suits on, because she assumes they are wealthy, from what they wear. Anyways, at the end of the store, a man named Rock takes Erick and his mother to a baseball game. The mother knows that Rock isn't wealthy, but she likes him anyways because he takes really good care of her. So, at the baseball game a lot of interesting events go on. First, Erick catches a baseball, then men from the team tells Erick to give them the ball so they can sign it for him. After they signed the ball for Erick he told Erick to give a note to his mom. After Erick thinks about what he's going to do, he realizes that Rock isn't the most wealthiest man his mother has gone out with, but in the end he treats her with respect and dignity. In the end Erick decides not to give the note to his mother, and he decided to speak up.

Babylon Revisited

In this story, a young man named Charlie suffers from the loss of his wife, and decides his daughter Honoria should come live with him. When Marion finds out he wants to raise her, she throws a fit and reminds him of how he locked her sister and she came knocking on her door; soaked to the skin and shivering. Charlie does admit that he did some terrible things in the past, and is willing to change his life for Honoria to be happy.

When Charlie woke up the next day, he was in a great mood, until he remembered the plans he and his wife Helen made. Instead of staying in bed and weeping over the loss of his wife, he rolled out of bed and went to the apartment. At the apartment, Charlie and Marion were having a conversation until Duncan and Loraine came in laughing all of a sudden. When they finally had control over themselves, they asked if Charlie would like to go out to eat. When Charlie said he couldn't, Loraine's voice became unpleasant and decided to leave. As soon as they left, Charlie grew furious and began to yell. When he was finished, he sat back down and thought about his family. He wanted his child, and nothing was good except that fact.

"Uncle Rock"

In the story " Uncle Rock" a child named Erick goes through important changes in the story that helps him choose right from wrong and find happiness with something that isn't the best of things but will bring happiness in the long run in his life and his mothers.

In " Uncle Rock" in the beginning of the story Erick is a child who doesn't really care about his mother because he is really passive about the men she chooses to bring into their lives even though he knows those men will only last for so long before they walk out of his and his mothers life. As the story progresses you can sense a change in Erick's passiveness towards his mothers choice of men when one of his mothers boyfiends leaves her and "Uncle Rock" enters the story. At first Erick's feelings toward "Uncle Rock" were very limited mainly just uncaring because he feels that Rock is just another guy his mom is "befriending"; a nobody. Until one day Rock took interest in Erick's liking to baseball and decided to take him and his mother to a ball game were one of the players took interest in Erick's mother and at that point Erick realized how much fun and happiness Rock was bringing to him and his mother that he decided to be an active roll in bringing happiness into him and his mothers life that he threw away the paper the baseball player gave to him to give to his mother because he knew from his mothers past relationship with men who had money that the relationship would just end in heart break and unhappiness.

"Uncle Rock"

In the short story "Uncle Rock", it's about how Erick realizes that he needs to give the men that want to go out with his mother a chance. Erick's mother was known for being very beautiful. When they go to restaurants men will come up to Erick and ask how old he was but they just did this so they can get to his mother. Erick felt used and didn't give anymore chances.
Erick's mother finally found a man that treats her right, but to Erick Uncle Rock was just another man. When Uncle Rock took Erick to a baseball game he realized that Uncle Rock is a good man and decided to give him a chance. Their relationship became stronger and at the end Erick liked Uncle rock.

Barn Burning " Theme"

A theme of Williams Faulkner's short story "Barn Burning" is loyalty. Loyalty to one's family is still more important than standing up for what is right. He illustrates this theme through two conflicts.
The first conflict was when the boy, the father, and the white were at court. They were at court because the white man stepped in horse droppings and went to Colonel Sartoris Snopes, the boy, house and wiped it In his rug. The next day the white man's barn was burned and the only person he suspected was the father. When their in court the boy has a conflict. He has to choose whether he should tell the truth about his dad burning down the bran or lying and sticking up for his dad. It says, "That evening a strange nigger came with the dollar and got the hog. He was a strange nigger." He said, " He say to tell you and hay kin burn." I said, "What?" "That night my barn burned I got the stock out but I lost the barn." (Faulkner 1)
Another conflict would be how the father abuses his child in a multiple amount of times. He has beaten him repeatedly. The boy was so sick and tired of being basically being tormented that he made a decision to run away. It says, "I'll hold him. "See you do then." "Lemme go,I I don't want to have to hit you." "Let him go!" "If he don't go, before God, I am going up there myself." "Don't you see I can't.?" "Sarty! Sarty! Sarty! No! No! No! Help me Lizzie." (Faulkner 10) Then he was free. When the Aunt said, let him go she thought he was going to his room. She didn't know he was running away. The child showed loyalty to the loyal principles because his father was wrong.

Barn Burning

I'm reading a story called "Barn Burning", and it's mainly about a boy who has a father that burns barns, and one day the boy decides to tell on his father. The characters are Abner, Colonel, the older brother, the twin sisters, the mother, the aunt, and De Spain. The main characters are Colonel and Abner. Colonel is Abner's son,and Abner is abusive. Abner's actions shows that he is demanding and abusive. He's demanding because he raises his voice at people, so they can do things for him. He's abusive because he hits Colonel several times, just because he does things Abner doesn't find suitable.
On the other hand, I found a quotation that shows Colonel he's a follower. He's a follower because he does bad things for his dad. The quotation read : " Go to the barn and go get that can of oil we were oiling the wagon with," Abner said. The boy did not move. Then he could speak. " What ....." he cried, " What are you......" " Go get the oil," his father said. " Go!" When I read this, I saw that Colonel is a follower because he did something bad, just because his father told him to do it. It was a bad thing he did because he went to get the oil so his father could burn down the barn.
I found another quotation that shows Abner being demanding. The quotation read: " Did you put the cutter back in that straight stock like I told you?" " No sir." the boy said. " Then go do it." After I read this, I realized that the father told his son to go put the cutter back in the stock, but it was his job to do it. Also, he said it in a demanding voice like he had nothing to do with the tool.

In the short story "Uncle Rock", shows how you have to protect your family, even if the person who is about to hurt your family can bring you great things. I think this because the baseball player could of ruined Uncle Rock and the mother's lives. At least that was what he thought. He knew it would be cool to have a baseball player as dad and have all the cool stuff, but he liked Uncle Rock. He didn't want jeopardize their relationship so he threw the paper away.He knew it would've been selfish of him to give his mom the paper, even if is mom refused. He wont ANYONE stand in the way of his relationships. Hes caring. He focuses on the family not the money and the cool stuff. Uncle Rock might only be a engineer, but he was caring, he would stay home unlike a professional baseball player, who be on the run everyday.

"Barn Burning" Literary Analysis

The actions that happen in this story are that Sortories was beaten by his father, who is the barn burner.The reason I know this because it says "His father struck him with the flat of his hand on the side of the head, hard but without heat, exactly as he had struck the two mules at the store..." (pg 7). The conflicts that occur are his father burns barns and tracked manure on an $100 rug.

The narrator is the author, William Faulkner. The tones I hear Faulkner use change depending on what is happening in that part of the story. Some examples are: "Does it hurt?" "Naw." "Hit don't hurt. Lemme be." "Can't you wipe some of the blood before hit drys?" "I'll wash to-night. Lemme be." ( pg. 2-3) The tone changes as it goes back and forth from his mother to him. She's being loving and caring, but he's being rude and disrespectful.

The symbol Faulkner uses is Major de Spain's white, clean, $100 rug. This is because the father wipes manure and ruined the rug while washing it. because of this he loses 20 bushels of corn from his pay because he is a sharecropper. All this is because it says, " ... his father raise from the ground a flattish fragment of feildstone and examined it and returned to the pot." ( pg 6)

"Barn Burning" Literary Analysis

Barn Burning, by William Faulkner, describes a boy whom comes from an abusive father and the post Civil War time era. Knowing this information, we can predict that this boy, Sarty probably doesn't enjoy his life and suffers. The conflict inc;uded in the story is that Sarty's father burned someones rug and for that reason Sarty and his family have been deported. Saty's father bosses around Sarty as if he were a slave. Mr.Snopes, also known as Sarty's father, not only abuses Sarty but abuses Sarty's mother as well.

Though, Sarty was hurt and bleeding, Mr.Snopes continued to be demanding and careless. "Get back in the wagon." (Faulkner, 2). He tends to be arrogant and demanding often times, " Get out of my way nigger." (Faulkner, 5). He displays arrogance when talking to "niggers" or perhaps even his own son! Its sad that his own son probably cannot even say something decently "nice" about his own father.

"The constellations wheeled on." (Faulkner, 10). This statement describes his freeness. this is predicted because, stars are described as free. When we see stars in the sky, we wish we were as free as they were. This has connection with the story because, once Sarty ran away from his home, he didn't know what to do. But his feelings were so tangled that in a way he began to feel free.

Barn Burning By William Faulkner- Reflections On Classroom Discussion

The thoughts and questions that "popped" into my head while reading this story were very different from the statements and questions in class. I discovered through our group discussion that in fact the " barn burner" was a Caucasian man. My first instinct was that he was African-American because the woman who's barn burned down kept shouting the n-word at him (or at least I thought it was him.)" He was a strange nigger, I tell you. I don't know what became of him." (Faulkner 1) What also changed my perspective of the story was that a white family was poor! This is post Civil War era and from the previous pieces of literature I have read, one would suspect that every Caucasian family is filthy rich.

From my prospective I was rugged on the father's attitude towards his family."Do like I told you." ( Faulkner 10) The father treated them with as little of respect as an African-American from the year eighteen-sixty two. The little boy is terrified of his father throughout the story even though that is his own flesh and blood. If Colonel( the little boy) even makes it to his adulthood he will be terrified and traumatized as Shannelle pointed out reliving all those years of physical and emotional abuse. The father never treated anyone else in the family like this , just Colonel.

This short story is ironic because throughout the story the boy was loyal to his Father as Mr.Mcnamar stated but just at the very end he decides to break the trust and tells the Justice that his father is in fact the barn burner. "The boy said nothing to the Justice." (Faulkner 1)This made question "well why" then I answered my own question: Colonel broke the trust to get back at his father for all those harsh years of abuse, or he probably wasn't fond of the idea of lying.

The Set Up in "The Secret Life of Walter Middy"

The set up in "The Secret Life of Walter Middy" is different than what normal text is. Why is there different writing than usual? There is day dreams and normal text. The story starts with a day dream. He is a brave, smart Commander doing through the ocean. Some reasons he is brave is because it says, " The old man will get us through," they said to one another."Then it goes to Mrs. Middy saying, "Not so fast! You're driving to fast! "said Mrs. Middy." What are you driving so fast for?"" Then it goes on to "It's the millionaire banker, Wellington McMillan." And it goes on to reality and back to the day dreams again and again. The punctuation that separates the day dreams to reality is the ELIPSE ( ... ).