Point of View

In "The Minister's Black Veil: A Parable," the Reverend Mr. Hooper shocks his congregation in Milford, Connecticut, by appearing at Sunday services wearing a black veil that shrouds his face. He wears this veil the rest of his life and insists upon wearing it into the grave. The story is told from the point of view of an unknown narrator who describes the events of the story in the third person. This narrator is omniscient, that is, the narrator seems to know more about the motivations of the characters than they might know about themselves. In addition to describing events and reporting dialogue between characters, the narrator supplies the reader with a sense of the characters' thoughts and feelings. For example, it is the narrator who reveals Hooper's sense of horror at observing his veiled semblance in a mirror while toasting the newlywed couple. It is...