Tuesday, November 1, 2016

What are the two ceremonies that Reverend Hooper directs on the same day? How does the veil affect the mood of each?

The first ceremony that Reverend Hooper conducts that day is a funeral service. The color of the veil he wears—black—is entirely appropriate for such a sad, somber occasion, even if it still looks a little strange on a minister of religion. An old lady at the funeral observes that when Reverend Hooper leaned over the coffin, his face would've been partially revealed to the deceased girl, causing her dead body to shudder. Her observation shows that the attention at the funeral is not on the deceased but on the minister. It's telling that even for a funeral, when everyone's wearing black, the minister's black veil still seems somewhat out of place.
Later that day, Reverend Hooper officiates at a wedding. One might have thought that he'd at least have the decency to remove his black veil for this happy occasion. But no. His wearing of the veil is completely inappropriate for what's supposed to be a day of joy and celebration. The veil creeps everyone out, as we can well imagine. The bride, for one, is visibly uncomfortable with Mr. Hooper's lugubrious demeanor, so much so that her cold fingers quiver as she holds her bridegroom's hand. Indeed, the bride has gone so pale with fear at the black veil that it appears to some that the girl buried by Reverend Hooper earlier in the day has risen from the grave.

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