The correct response is: The author satirizes Calvinist beliefs about the bleakness of the world and the power of sin by describing the veil’s mysterious power.
In the paragraph, the black veil symbolizes the weight of sin and the resulting agony, which aligns with Calvinist views on the darkness of human nature and the seriousness of sin. Mr. Hooper's enhanced effectiveness as a clergyman due to the veil suggests that these beliefs can be wielded as a source of power, highlighting the absurdity and potential manipulation involved in such doctrines.