John Inglefield's Thanksgiving / (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales")

Name: John Inglefield's Thanksgiving / (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales")
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

A rural family gathers for Thanksgiving around a stern but affectionate blacksmith who keeps an empty chair for his deceased wife. The household — including a scholarly son, a gentle twin sister, and a devoted journeyman — is surprised when a long-absent daughter returns seeming unchanged and at once rekindles warmth and mirth. Their reunion exposes conflicting responses of mercy, shame, and tentative attraction, while the returned woman resists close embrace. Just before the evening worship she abruptly departs, her altered expression suggesting an inward moral corruption that forces the family to confront the limits of forgiveness and the reality of hidden vice.

By Nathaniel Hawthorne

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About the Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer, born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. He is best known for his exploration of moral complexity and the human condition, often set against the backdrop of New England's Puritan heritage. His notable works include "The Scarlet Letter," which delves into themes of sin and redemption, and "The House of the Seven Gables," a tale of guilt and retribution. Hawthorne's writing is characterized by its rich symbolism and psychological depth, making significant contributions to American literature. His stories often reflect his fascination with the darker aspects of human nature and the consequences of isolation.