Salem, Massachusetts Essays

  • Ergot poisoning in Salem Massachusetts

    735 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nobody can actually tell us what happened during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. We can go over websites and read as many books as we want but everyone has different theories. A different outlook on the Witch Trials from someone else’s perspective is a huge help to curious minds. No matter how many times someone says “oh I came up with a theory to the Salem epidemic”, nobody can actually say what happened in Salem, one of the possibilities was Ergot, a fungus found in rye. Some would say ergot poisoning

  • Fear in Salem, Massachusetts and "The Crucible"

    732 Words  | 2 Pages

    Terrorism, inequality, losing your home, or injustice? Salem, Massachusetts during the seventeenth century feared injustices among the government. Individuals hid and lied to keep safe from being condemned as witches. This era of history is known as the Salem Witch Trials. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible explores the Salem Witch Trials while following the lives of several individuals. The fear and mistrust among the seventeenth century Salem society can be directly related to today’s twenty-first century

  • The Salem, Massachusetts Witch Trails of 1692

    851 Words  | 2 Pages

    powers to harm others in return for his loyalty; they were called witches. In 1692, dark times shadowed the small village of Salem, Massachusetts, it was the beginning of the dreaded Salem witch trials. Even though this event is called the Salem witch trials, other counties such as Essex, Ipswich, and Andover in Massachusetts participated as well. It all started in Salem Village when Reverend Parris' daughter Elizabeth and niece Abigail started having unexplained fits. The children would scream

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter And The House Of The Seven Gables

    591 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nathaniel was 4 years of age, while he was at sea. William Hathorne, Nathaniel’s great great grandfather, emigrated from England to America in 1630 to settle in Salem, Massachusetts. Consequently, this is where he later became known for his savage sentencing as a judge. John Hathorne, William’s son, later was one of three judges during the Salem Witch Trials during the 1690s. Therefore, Nathaniel changed his last name in order to distance himself from this dark side of the family. Which was where he

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne's Puritan Legacy

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. He was the only son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Clark Hathorne and he had two sisters. Nathaniel’s father was a sea captain who died of yellow fever at sea in 1808. With the death of his father, his family was left with poor financial support so they moved in with his wealthy uncles. He was left immobile for several months due to a leg injury and that is where he gained his love for reading and writing. His uncles sent him to Bowdoin

  • Comparing Minister's Black Veil And Young Goodman Brown

    1399 Words  | 3 Pages

    around the human’s capacity for evil as a main theme of their works. Being one of the “brooding” romantics, Hawthorne followed the Puritans’ belief that everyone is a sinner as a result of being a descendent of the Puritans associated with the infamous Salem witchcraft trials. Not only was he related to the despicable Puritans, but also, he had to live with the guilt that his dishonorable great-great grandfather, Judge Hathorne, was “the only one who refused to apologize for his role

  • The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The House of Seven Gables, was born on July 4, 1804 in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. He was a proud son and grandson of New England seafarers. His father pass away leaving his mother widowed. Hawthorne and his family consist of his mother, and his two sisters. After finishing college, he returned to Salem determined to be a writer. He fought twelve years to perfect his literary skills. Then in 1851, he wrote The House of Seven Gables. On May 19, 1864 Nathaniel

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter And The House Of The Seven Gables

    1766 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne, born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts into a strict Puritan family, would grow up to become one of the great writers of nineteenth-century America. He is predominately known for his novels The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables, both of which, though published over one hundred and fifty years ago, are still considered to be classics of American literature and are still required readings for many high-school English courses. Hawthorne’s frequent use of dark themes

  • How Did Nathaniel Hawthorne Use Symbols In The Scarlet Letter

    1539 Words  | 4 Pages

    Letter, he would use physical objects more than often to make his point, although they were physical objects, they had symbolically profound meanings. Hawthorne was a famous author and got inspiration from his childhood. Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804, but was said to have a way with words at a

  • Isolation In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

    1968 Words  | 4 Pages

    his Puritan ancestors and his opinion about sin; while his other writings focus on isolation resulting from an individual’s physical imperfections, and it becomes an overwhelming force that destroys a person. Nathaniel Hawthorne grew up in Salem, Massachusetts, where his family was well-recognized by the townspeople. Hawthorne's great-great-grandfather,

  • Nathanial Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    famous works included the renowned Scarlet Letter (which I am reading). Born on July 4th, 1804 in Salem, Masachusetts to Nathanial Hathorne Sr. and Elizabeth Clarke Manning. Though born Nathaniel Hathorne, he later added the 'w' to hide his relation with John Hathorne, the only judge that didn't repent for his involvement in the Salem witch trials of 1692 (Hawthorne

  • What Does The Rosebush Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne an American author was born in Salem Massachusetts in 1804. One of his most famous books The Scarlet Letter takes place in puritan Boston in the 17th century. In this story a woman named Hester Prynne, has committed adultery the towns minister, Arthur Dimmesdale. Since she has committed adultery she is forced to wear an “A” on her bosom for the rest of her life as punishment for this sin. Nature is a major theme in this story. In this story nature plays so much of a role it is

  • The Use of Color Symbolism by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    that embody great moral questions appears strongly in his short stories.” (Bloom) To begin to understand the mind of Nathaniel Hawthorne you must first know a little about the magnificent man. Nathaniel Hawthorn was born in Salem Massachusetts during the time of the Salem witch trials. His father and grandfather took an active role in these trials. His interest in the parallel between sin and evil is very evident in the tale of “Young Goodman Brown”. Nathaniel Hawthorne is said to be first American

  • The Spoils System In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter

    1483 Words  | 3 Pages

    century but also the spoils system from the early 19th century. Hawthorne’s unique perspective as a descendant of John Hathorne, one of the Salem Witch trial judges, provides him with the insight of the Puritans that is historically accurate, although, at times, tinged with disdain. Hawthorne’s own experience of working in the Custom House in Salem, Massachusetts creates the basis of the introductory chapter. This explanation and history of the creation of The Scarlet Letter show the connections to

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne's Experiences And American Values During The 19th Century

    1487 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne was the definitive literary figure throughout the 19th century. He was born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts where he developed Puritan values through his experiences and family. His work is still celebrated by a myriad of authors and readers across the world and is regarded as America’s most eminent writers. His short stories such as Rappaccini’s Daughter and My Kinsman, Major Molineux and four novels – The Scarlet Letter, The Blithedale Romance, The Marble Faun, and The House

  • Scarlet Letter Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    19th century, who often wrote descriptive stories throughout his book The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne uses setting, allusions, metaphors, irony, diction, and varied tone to reveal the characters in the novel. The Scarlet Letter takes place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the 17th century, this is where the Puritans settled after leaving the New World because they wanted to “purify” the Church of England. The Puritans were a section of Protestant Christians influenced by Calvinism, the idealized

  • Salem Village at Sunset

    1223 Words  | 3 Pages

    Young Goodman Brown, the setting of the Salem Village at sunset, the forest and what happened in the forest influenced the character and theme of the story with temptation, testing humanity, and Browns changed views on humanity, people in the village and faith, his faith and his wife after what happened in the forest. In the first sentence in the story, gives the first setting, Salem Village at sunset. The setting at the beginning of the story is in Salem Village and the time of day which is sunset

  • Guilt Theme In Scarlet Letter

    755 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book, The Scarlet Letter takes place during the 1600’s in a puritan society. Nathaniel Hawthorne is extremely obsessed with Puritanism and enjoys making books about Puritanism. A Puritan society is a society based strongly around religion. The main characters in this book are Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, and Pearl Prynne. Hester Prynne committed adultery with Dimmesdale and she is married to Chillingsworth. She had a child, who is Pearl. Hester

  • The Minister's Black Veil Analysis

    567 Words  | 2 Pages

    A Signifier, Signified Hawthorne's parable, The Minister's Black Veil, has an aspect that creates a lot of controversy over its meaning. The veil being this aspect. The story also causes people to think on who was in the right or wrong, whether it be the minister or the townspeople around him. Another hot topic in this parable is directed at the wife. Some say she was right to leave the minister, and some say she was wrong. All three of these are conclusions from one story, that never gave an explanation

  • What Does The Minister's Black Veil Mean

    977 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Minister’s Black Veil, by Nathaniel Hawthorne Symbolism of the Veil Short answer response: answer each of the following questions, using a minimum of 150 words for each question. You must use textual examples to back up your answer in Question 1. 1. On his deathbed, Hooper says, "I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!" What does Hooper mean? In a thorough explanatory paragraph, explain why he sees a black veil on everyone else’s face. You must be sure to use at least two