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Student Activities for The Minister's Black Veil
Essential Questions for “The Minister’s Black Veil”
- What is sin?
- What are secrets people hide from the world?
- What are some reasons why people keep secrets?
- Why do people gossip about others?
- How can guilt separate a person from others?
Puritan New World
Hawthorne held quite a bit of guilt over his family lineage, which included the infamous Judge John Hathorne, who presided over the Salem Witch Trials. Here are some of the tenets of Puritanism which Hawthorne’s ancestors believed guided their lives:
- God is the sovereign being of the universe, and controls all things.
- Certain people had already been chosen by God to go to Heaven, known as "predestination", and there was nothing they could do to change His choice.
- The only way for a Predestined to get into Heaven was to combine their good fortune with hard work.
- Humanity is born naturally depraved because of Original Sin, and it is people’s duty to work hard to overcome their innate sin.
- Anything unnatural (famine, disease, deformities, etc.) are attributed to the Devil or witches, who are agents of the Devil.
Original Sin
For students who are not familiar with the Adam and Eve story or the concept of Original Sin, consider having them read the story from Genesis 3.
This will help students understand that the Puritan (and modern Christian) belief that no one is born perfect, and that everyone sins. This concept is essential to understanding the allegory of the veil in this Nathaniel Hawthorne short story, "The Minister’s Black Veil".
Find more lesson plans and activities like these in our English Language Arts Category!
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© 2024 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office