Final answer:
Literature often utilizes symbols like veils and masks to explore themes of hidden identity and societal separation, as seen in 'The Minister's Black Veil' and W.E.B Du Bois's concept of the veil. Tennessee Williams's character Blanche in his play wears different masks to navigate social relationships, suggesting a complex interplay between appearance and reality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Symbolism and Identity in Literature
The use of veils and masks in the literature often serves as a metaphor for the hidden aspects of a character's identity or the barriers that separate different social or racial groups. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Minister's Black Veil, the protagonist's adoption of a black veil symbolizes the secret sins and hidden guilt that all people carry. It encourages readers to reflect on the artificial barriers we create between ourselves and others and the superficial judgments we make based on appearances.
In W.E.B Du Bois's concept of the veil, as described in his work, becomes a powerful symbol of the societal separation experienced by African Americans, which encompasses cultural misunderstandings and racial segregation. This analogous 'veil' represents an invisible yet palpable division between Black and White communities, with damaging effects on personal relationships and social cohesion.
The concept of characters wearing "masks" is prevalent in Tennessee Williams's play, where Blanche is depicted as creating personas to interact within different social contexts. Blanche's different identities raise questions about the authenticity of social interactions and hint at the deeper complexity of human identity and the oft-disturbing connection between sexuality and mortality that Williams explores in his work.