American Studies
The Minister's Black Veil

"The Minister's Black Veil" Quiz

1. Hooper confides his guilty secret to Elizabeth.
[A] true
[B] false

2. Only at the minister's burial is the veil finally removed.
[A] true
[B] false

3. Hawthorne subtitled his story 'A Parable" to suggest that readers will find in it
[A] a moral lesson
[B] a Gothic mystery
[C] witty sayings
[D] vivid imagery

4. Hawthorne portrays the veil as
[A] a punishment
[B] a joke
[C] a symbol
[D] a whim

5. The climax of the story occurs when
[A] Elizabeth decides not to marry Hooper
[B] Reverend Clark tries to remove the veil
[C] Hooper utters his dying words
[D] Hooper is buried

6. Hawthorne presents Hooper's character as
[A] happy and contented
[B] evil and dangerous
[C] lonely and tormented
[D] witty and charming

7. According to Mr. Hooper, the veil is a symbol of the way in which all people
[A] are reluctant to see the world clearly
[B] hide their innermost selves
[C] are constantly aware of death's approach
[D] try to alter their physical appearance

8. Mr. Hooper chooses to look physically different from other people. This symbolic act is meant to
A. reveal how he is more sinful than other people
B. protect him from other people's sin
C. highlight his role as an agent of holiness
D. represent him as a prisoner of a condition shared by all people

Short Answer Essay
9. Hawthorne could have made the main character in this story a banker, a teacher, a shopkeeper, or a person with any other job. Discuss how the meaning of the story is affected by Hawthorne's decision to make the main character a minister. Support your assumption with specific details from the story.

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