The only "answer" that Elizabeth is given from Hooper as
to why he has donned this curious veil is one that does not really explain fully the
complex reasons for Hooper's dramatic fashion statement. Note what he says to
Elizabeth:
"Know, then, that this veil is a type and a
symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and
before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No
mortal eye will see it withdrawn. This dismal shade must separate me from the world:
Even you, Elizabeth, can never come behind
it!"
Of course, we are not
told at this stage in this excellent story precisely what the symbol of the black veil
is as it is interpreted by Hooper. However, the vow he has taken to wear it seems to be
a personal one that reflects Hooper's awareness of his own sins and his fear of
presenting himself as a sinless hypocrite. The veil acts as a constant reminder of his
many sins that separate him from others and from God, as Hooper's death-bed confession
suggests that the veil is only physical symbol of what is a metaphorical reality for
everyone, for all of us have our own black veil of sin that acts as a barrier in our
relationships with others and with God.
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