The Minister’s Black Veil
by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Minister’s Black Veil: Mood 1 key example

Definition of Mood

The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition

Key Examples in The Minister’s Black Veil

Mood
Explanation and Analysis:

The mood of “The Minister’s Black Veil” is initially lighthearted and humorous. In the story’s first paragraph, Hawthorne paints a scene of a sunny, bustling town square, filled with the merry sound of a church bell ringing and a crowd of well-dressed churchgoers looking forward to the day’s service:

The sexton stood on the porch of Milford meeting-house, pulling busily at the bell-rope […] Children, with bright faces, tripped merrily beside their parents, or mimicked a graver gait, in the conscious dignity of their Sunday clothes. Spruce bachelors looked sidelong at pretty maidens, and fancied that the Sabbath sunshine made them prettier than on week days.