Hawthorns Pride of Intellect
Many of Hawthorne's characters wrap themselves in a pride of intellect. The characters
become victims of their pride and consequently suffer. Goodman Brown, from 'Young Goodman
Brown' and Hooper, from 'The Minister's Black Veil' are two characters that suffer from a pride
of intellect. Their pride causes them similar problems and they end up living similar lives, although
they came from different backgrounds.
Hooper and Goodman Brown both become isolated from society. Hooper had a
revelation, and he feels that he truly understands human nature and sin. However, he believes that
he is above everybody else because he has this understanding. This is what causes the major
separation between Hooper and society. After Hooper dawns the veil he can no longer function or
act as a normal person, because of this feeling of superiority. His perception of an ultimate human
isolation leaves him the man most isolated in what Hawthorne describes as that saddest of all
prisons, his own heart .
. . '(The Minister's Black Veil,228). The veil affects all parts of his life,
his fiance leaves him and he can no longer relate to his congregation the same way. 'As a result of
wearing the veil, Hooper becomes a man apart, isolated from love and sympathy, suspected and
even feared by his congregation'(Minister's Black Veil, 228). Goodman Brown suffers the same
fate because he also has a feeling of superiority over the rest of the village. He attains this feeling
after he sees all the people that he though were good and pure participating in satanic rituals in the
forest. He looses all faith in the community and feels as though he is above them because he was
able to resist the devil. The lack or trust trusting that Goodman...