The Scarlet Letter By: Nathaniel Hawthorne (pg. 18- 38)
To finish the section on The Custom House, Hawthorne describes a few more influential people that he worked with. The Collector was an Old General who after his military service rules over a Western territory. When at the Custom House Hawthorne saw the Collector as an introvert, who sat in solitude in a chair in front of the fireplace. Though old and having lost the ease in his ability to hear and speak, the General was still viewed as retaining the look of strength. The Surveyor seldom tried to engage the General in conversation but was himself reserved. The personalities of these folks Hawthorne worked with were greatly contrasted with those of the passing merchants and Ship Masters. Hawthorne felt a large benefit came from these experiences while he was at the Custom House. One of which being he found a boost to his moral and intellectual heath to have companions like the General and the Surveyor who were so much different than himself and required a great effort for him to appreciate.
Soon after this realization, Hawthorne discovered something peculiar while going through the late Mr. Surveyor Pue's things. He found a swatch of scarlet fabric in the shape of the letter 'A' and attached to it a description of its meaning and a chronology of a woman named, Hester Prynne. Hawthorne is intrigued by this letter and the woman's story and feels lead to write about her, but all the while working at the Custom House Hawthorne experiences what I can only describe as writer's block. Whether fortunate or not, some time later at the mark of three years after Hawthorne's service at the Custom House he is made a public spectacle and thrown out of office. The Wigs party prevailed and despite new President Taylor's promise to not remove civil servants of opposing parties the town of Salem wouldn't have it any other way. They made a mockery of Hawthorne and the act of being thrown out of office was described as "guillotine politics". This left Hawthorne with nothing to go back to but writing.
Hawthorne's experience while working at the Custom House was not always pleasant. Sometimes the people he worked with he had to appologize for the boring manner in which he described them. The way that Hawthorne was relieved of his position left no good thought of him in the community. The townspeople already hadn't respected him as a writer and then they celebrated his removal from his position. This was all probably very embarrasing for Hawthorne and yet he wrote of a possitive benefit of working at the Custom House. Had Hawthorne not worked at the Custom House he would not have dicovered the scarlet letter or have known anything of Hester Prynne. His negitive publicity effected him as a writter and though he had writer's block while working in the Custom House, writing was all he could do afterwards. Hawthorne may not have been such a distinguished author had he not been through that difficult circumstance. That is a perfect example of how bad things can be turned for the better.
To finish the section on The Custom House, Hawthorne describes a few more influential people that he worked with. The Collector was an Old General who after his military service rules over a Western territory. When at the Custom House Hawthorne saw the Collector as an introvert, who sat in solitude in a chair in front of the fireplace. Though old and having lost the ease in his ability to hear and speak, the General was still viewed as retaining the look of strength. The Surveyor seldom tried to engage the General in conversation but was himself reserved. The personalities of these folks Hawthorne worked with were greatly contrasted with those of the passing merchants and Ship Masters. Hawthorne felt a large benefit came from these experiences while he was at the Custom House. One of which being he found a boost to his moral and intellectual heath to have companions like the General and the Surveyor who were so much different than himself and required a great effort for him to appreciate.
Soon after this realization, Hawthorne discovered something peculiar while going through the late Mr. Surveyor Pue's things. He found a swatch of scarlet fabric in the shape of the letter 'A' and attached to it a description of its meaning and a chronology of a woman named, Hester Prynne. Hawthorne is intrigued by this letter and the woman's story and feels lead to write about her, but all the while working at the Custom House Hawthorne experiences what I can only describe as writer's block. Whether fortunate or not, some time later at the mark of three years after Hawthorne's service at the Custom House he is made a public spectacle and thrown out of office. The Wigs party prevailed and despite new President Taylor's promise to not remove civil servants of opposing parties the town of Salem wouldn't have it any other way. They made a mockery of Hawthorne and the act of being thrown out of office was described as "guillotine politics". This left Hawthorne with nothing to go back to but writing.
Hawthorne's experience while working at the Custom House was not always pleasant. Sometimes the people he worked with he had to appologize for the boring manner in which he described them. The way that Hawthorne was relieved of his position left no good thought of him in the community. The townspeople already hadn't respected him as a writer and then they celebrated his removal from his position. This was all probably very embarrasing for Hawthorne and yet he wrote of a possitive benefit of working at the Custom House. Had Hawthorne not worked at the Custom House he would not have dicovered the scarlet letter or have known anything of Hester Prynne. His negitive publicity effected him as a writter and though he had writer's block while working in the Custom House, writing was all he could do afterwards. Hawthorne may not have been such a distinguished author had he not been through that difficult circumstance. That is a perfect example of how bad things can be turned for the better.
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