The House of the Seven Gables and The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales

5b Nathaniel Hawthorne, Boston, 1892.  Notes Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was an American writer known for his dark, symbolic, and psychologically complex works that often explored themes of guilt, sin, and the weight of history. His most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter, cemented his place as a key figure in American literature. The House of the Seven Gables (1851) is a Gothic novel that delves into the lingering effects of ancestral guilt and a family curse tied to a New England mansion. Inspired by Hawthornes own Puritan heritage, the novel weaves together mystery, romance, and the supernatural, reflecting his fascination with the pasts hold on the present. The Snow-Image and Other Twice-Told Tales (1852) is a collection of short stories, many of which had been previously published in magazines. These tales showcase Hawthornes mastery of allegory and symbolism, featuring themes of morality, imagination, and human nature. The title story, The Snow-Image, tells of two children who