Nathaniel Hawthorne is well known for using symbolism and allegory in his works to present different themes relating to human nature and human psychology. Not only is Hawthorne well known for his symbolism, but he is also known for the powerful imagery he uses in his writings, as is expected considering Hawthorne wrote at a time when printing technology had not advanced enough to reproduce photographs in books with ease (“Hawthorne Writing Style”). This essay will focus on the various aspects of symbolism that Hawthorne uses in his book The House of the Seven Gables.
The first and biggest symbol that the reader comes across in this book is the House of the Seven Gables itself. Being introduced in the very first chapter of this story, it’s important …show more content…
It’s noted in the first chapter of the book that the spring of fresh water “entirely lost the deliciousness of its pristine quality” after the workmen began their preparations in building the Colonel’s house (Hawthorne). This event can easily symbolize the ‘curse’ that’s been laid upon the house early on. The well also represents the persistence of Matthew Maule on the Pyncheon family. It stands in the garden as a reminder of the Pyncheons’ sin (Sagher & Kareem 162). This persistence can also be shown when the well overflows after Judge Pyncheon dies in the same chair that Colonel Pyncheon died in years earlier. Clifford also enjoys looking at the well when he’s in the garden, and notes to Phoebe that he sees beautiful faces in the agitation of the water. However, Hawthorne writes that Clifford would suddenly cry out about dark faces gazing at him, leaving him miserable the entire day afterwards (Hawthorne). Phoebe thinks these faces are just Clifford’s imagination; his cruel fate being symbolized by the dark faces which he sees. This can hint towards the well symbolizing the past and the …show more content…
In The House of the Seven Gables, Colonel Pyncheon makes it a condition in his will that his portrait must not be removed from the parlor wall of the house. This essentially makes it impossible for any of his descendants to forget about Matthew Maule or the “evil influence” that shows itself throughout the Pyncheon family line (Hawthorne). At the end of the story it’s shown that the secret to the Pyncheon family fortune was inside of the wall behind the Pyncheon family portrait the entire time. This is an interesting aspect of the story because Colonel Pyncheons pride in insisting that the portrait must remain on the wall was the reason that the deed was lost for so long that it eventually became worthless. Once again, the pride of the Pyncheon family is symbolized through the Colonel’s portrait, ultimately resulting in the loss of the family
The first and biggest symbol that the reader comes across in this book is the House of the Seven Gables itself. Being introduced in the very first chapter of this story, it’s important …show more content…
It’s noted in the first chapter of the book that the spring of fresh water “entirely lost the deliciousness of its pristine quality” after the workmen began their preparations in building the Colonel’s house (Hawthorne). This event can easily symbolize the ‘curse’ that’s been laid upon the house early on. The well also represents the persistence of Matthew Maule on the Pyncheon family. It stands in the garden as a reminder of the Pyncheons’ sin (Sagher & Kareem 162). This persistence can also be shown when the well overflows after Judge Pyncheon dies in the same chair that Colonel Pyncheon died in years earlier. Clifford also enjoys looking at the well when he’s in the garden, and notes to Phoebe that he sees beautiful faces in the agitation of the water. However, Hawthorne writes that Clifford would suddenly cry out about dark faces gazing at him, leaving him miserable the entire day afterwards (Hawthorne). Phoebe thinks these faces are just Clifford’s imagination; his cruel fate being symbolized by the dark faces which he sees. This can hint towards the well symbolizing the past and the …show more content…
In The House of the Seven Gables, Colonel Pyncheon makes it a condition in his will that his portrait must not be removed from the parlor wall of the house. This essentially makes it impossible for any of his descendants to forget about Matthew Maule or the “evil influence” that shows itself throughout the Pyncheon family line (Hawthorne). At the end of the story it’s shown that the secret to the Pyncheon family fortune was inside of the wall behind the Pyncheon family portrait the entire time. This is an interesting aspect of the story because Colonel Pyncheons pride in insisting that the portrait must remain on the wall was the reason that the deed was lost for so long that it eventually became worthless. Once again, the pride of the Pyncheon family is symbolized through the Colonel’s portrait, ultimately resulting in the loss of the family