Dr. Adam Johns
ENGCMP 0200- Seminar in Composition
September 9, 2008
Breaking the Curse
Throughout the history of the Pyncheon family everyone has been doomed to face the same end until something disturbs that cycle. This slight disruption changes the whole future of a family. I believe true change is possible in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The House of Seven Gables.” The Pyncheons lived the same lifestyle all of their existence until a country cousin came to visit and changed their way of life. When Phoebe arrives she livens up the house and makes both Hepzibah and Clifford feel alive and happy. They go from leading miserable lives with so much pain in them to enjoying the beauty of life and the world around them. Phoebe Pyncheon was the catalyst that sparked a change in the attitude and perspective of the other Pyncheons. She helps to transform the New England Pyncheons, a feat that no one in two centuries was able to accomplish.
Before the arrival of Phoebe it was clear that Hepzibah was overwhelmed with her life and felt somewhat depressed. She could barely manage to run the shop she opened and was disheartened about having to devote herself to such petty activities. She had always lived the life of an aristocratic even though this did not benefit her. After her first day of work Hawthorne says, “Hepzibah began to fear that the shop would prove her ruin in a moral and religious point of view”(37). Upon the arrival of Phoebe the whole atmosphere of the shop changed along with the attitude of Hepzibah. Both were enlivened by Phoebe and went through a significant change. The shop becomes much more prosperous and Hepzibah does not feel as depressed or overwhelmed, she even begins to work hardily at the shop. This is a major change in the life of Hepzibah who had been in solitude and accomplished nothing for quite a long time. She had lived the same way as all the other Pyncheon women of the past but was transformed into a quasi commoner by Phoebe.
Clifford also had been living a habitual lifestyle for several decades. His case was far worse than that of his sister Hepzibah. He had grown exceedingly languid and into an old man with child like fears. When he met Phoebe he was went back to his youthful perspective of loving beauty. He even said, “‘That young girl’s face, how cheerful, how blooming,’”(75). Later on Clifford began to relax in the garden with Phoebe and she even read him stories. Hepzibah, Clifford’s own sister, could not even perform these therapeutic activities because she was not beautiful in his eye. Phoebe’s attention helped Clifford enjoy life more even to the point where he blew bubbles like a child.
There may be some detractors to this theory of real change being possible in “The House of the Seven Gables.” Some may say that even though Phoebe brought a different perspective to the house she did not change Hepzibah or Clifford. While Phoebe went to church they tried to follow her but, were unable to because of their fear and the house. Hawthorne even said, “What jailer so inexorable as one’s self!”(117). Clifford is also still scared of several things ranging from monkeys to his cousin Jaffrey. However once Phoebe leaves the lessons she has passed onto her cousins are played out. Clifford overcomes his greatest fear and kills Judge Pyncheon. After this Hepzibah and Clifford leave the house that haunted them for so long. They even board a train were the experience other people and land, two things they had not dealt with for a long time. Clifford even goes as far as arguing with another man about not needing a home and living nomadically, he says, “Why should he make himself a prisoner for life in brick, and stone, and old worm-eaten timber, when he may just as easily dwell, in one sense, nowhere”(181). This goes against the way Phoebe and Clifford had been living for decades and makes it apparent that they both have changed and left the vicious circle that has been their family history. The House of the Seven Gables no longer has control over their lives and they are free just like Phoebe.
The adjustments to the House of the Seven Gables and its inhabitants were a result of the fresh view on life brought into the house by Phoebe. All the changes that occurred took place after her arrival. Hawthorne’s idea of change in the story could only be started by Phoebe because she was a Pyncheon but was not affected by the family history. Holgrave does not even consider her a Pyncheon, whom he believes are infected with a lunacy (128). True change meant one of the Pyncheons changing their legacy, not an outsider but one of their own moving on and taking control of their future. In this Hawthorne is saying that people should make changes for themselves and not just live in the past. As Holgrave said, “‘The truth is, that, once in every half century, at longest, a family should be merged into the great, obscure mass of humanity, and forget all about its ancestors.’”(128). To some extent this is the action that Phoebe took and that is why she was able to overcome the “Pyncheon curse” that so many others could not. Change is a struggle not something that takes place instantly it took many generations of a family to realize this fact and act upon it.
3 comments:
Andre,
First of all sorry this is so late! Second of all I’m going to go through your paper paragraph by paragraph.
Your first paragraph was a good introduction to what your paper is about. You clearly stated what your position was and the main reason why you felt that way. You concept of change was also clear: the Pyncheon way of life was changed by Phoebe making this introduction specific but not to full of details. You leave plenty of room for explanation of what you mean.
I would include a little more of a transition from the introduction to the second paragraph instead of just beginning it talking about Phoebe changing Hepzibah. Maybe just a sentence that generalizes what the paragraph will be about (a topic sentence). Also, you wrote that Hepzibah doesn’t feel as depressed when Phoebe comes. Maybe include some evidence from the book to prove this. Something in this paragraph that I didn’t quite understand was when you wrote “she had always lived the life of an aristocratic even though this did not benefit her.” Maybe re-word this to make what you’re trying to say a little more clear. Also, what you said that Hepzibah “begins to work hardily in the shop” I would re-think this because doesn’t Phoebe kind of take over the shop when she comes?
I think that your third paragraph is very good. It could use a better topic sentence to sort of bring back the fact that you are showing how Clifford has been changed by Phoebe. You give good points in this paragraph that show Clifford’s changes after Phoebe arrived though.
Your fourth paragraph has a good topic sentence so you transitioned well into this paragraph. However, there are a lot of ideas going on in this paragraph. You should probably split this paragraph up so you have one paragraph including your counterexample and another “counterexample-ing your counterexample” (if that makes sense). When you talk about Clifford and Hepzibah on the train make sure you return to your main argument of Phoebe changing the Pyncheons. I’m not sure if this part about the train is necessary to argue for your point. Also, this paragraph needs a little of sentence structure revision/grammatical revision. For example, the sentence “However once Phoebe leaves the lessons…are played out” didn’t really make sense. Also, “were the experience other people…” needs to be fixed. (just typos probably). One thing that I question is that if we really know that Clifford killed the judge. Try to find some evidence in the book.
Your final paragraph successfully talks about why we should care about Phoebe changing the Pyncheons. I like how you give the quote from Holgrave and compare it to Phoebe and her being able to overcome the Pyncheon curse. I also liked how you said that Phoebe was able to make all these changes because she was a Pyncheon but she was not affected by the family history. The final thing I would change is just another sentence or two to cum up the entire essay so it doesn’t end so abruptly. Your final sentence causes the essay to just sort of end. I like the 2nd to last sentence a little better to end the essay. Overall though, I really liked your essay. It had a very solid argument and it was backed up well. You really had great ideas so I think that with just a little tweaking this paper will be great!
Andre Cedeno
Dr. Adam Johns
ENGCMP 0200- Seminar in Composition
September 9, 2008
Breaking the Curse
Throughout the history of the Pyncheon family everyone has been doomed to face the same end until something disturbs that cycle. This slight disruption changes the whole future of a family. I believe true change is possible in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The House of Seven Gables.” The Pyncheons lived the same lifestyle all of their existence until a country cousin came to visit and changed their way of life. When Phoebe arrives she livens up the house and makes both Hepzibah and Clifford feel alive and happy. They go from leading miserable lives with so much pain in them to enjoying the beauty of life and the world around them. Phoebe Pyncheon was the catalyst that sparked a change in the attitude and perspective of the other Pyncheons. She helped to transform the New England Pyncheons, a feat that no one in two centuries was able to accomplish.
One of the first people to be affected by Phoebe was Hepzibah. Before the arrival of Phoebe it was clear that Hepzibah was overwhelmed with her life and felt somewhat depressed. She could barely manage to run the shop she opened and was disheartened about having to devote herself to such petty activities. To her detriment she had always lived the life of an aristocratic, never working to earn money for herself. After her first day of work Hawthorne says, “Hepzibah began to fear that the shop would prove her ruin in a moral and religious point of view”(37). Upon the arrival of Phoebe the whole atmosphere of the shop changed along with the attitude of Hepzibah. Both were enlivened by Phoebe and went through a significant change. The shop became much more prosperous and Hepzibah did not feel as depressed or overwhelmed with the task of working, even though she was only responsible for closing the shop. This was a major change in the life of Hepzibah who had been in solitude and accomplished nothing for quite a long time. She had lived the same way as all the other Pyncheon women of the past but was transformed into a quasi commoner by Phoebe.
Clifford also had been living a habitual lifestyle for several decades. His case was far worse than that of his sister Hepzibah. He had grown exceedingly languid and into an old man with child like fears. When he met Phoebe he was went back to his youthful perspective of loving beauty. He even said, “‘That young girl’s face, how cheerful, how blooming,’”(75). Later on Clifford began to relax in the garden with Phoebe and she even read him stories. Hepzibah, Clifford’s own sister, could not even perform these therapeutic activities because she was not beautiful in his eye. Phoebe’s attention helped Clifford enjoy life more even to the point where he blew bubbles like a child.
There may be some detractors to this theory of real change being possible in “The House of the Seven Gables.” Some may say that even though Phoebe brought a different perspective to the house she did not change Hepzibah or Clifford. While Phoebe went to church they tried to follow her but, were unable to because of their fear and the house. Hawthorne even said, “What jailer so inexorable as one’s self!”(117). Clifford was also still scared of several things ranging from monkeys to his cousin Jaffrey.
In the middle of the story it seems that this argument might have been true. However, once Phoebe departed, the lessons she passed onto her cousins are carried out. Clifford overcame his greatest fear and moved past Judge Pyncheon when he left the house. After this Hepzibah and Clifford left the house that haunted them for so long. They even boarded a train where they experienced other people, something that used to scare them and keep them in their house. Clifford even goes as far as arguing with another man about not needing a home and living nomadically, he says, “Why should he make himself a prisoner for life in brick, and stone, and old worm-eaten timber, when he may just as easily dwell, in one sense, nowhere”(181). This goes against the way Hepzibah and Clifford had been living for decades and makes it apparent that they both have changed and left the vicious circle that has been their family history. The House of the Seven Gables no longer has control over their lives and they are free just like Phoebe.
The adjustments to the House of the Seven Gables and its inhabitants were a result of the fresh view of life brought into the house by Phoebe. All the changes that occurred took place after her arrival. Hawthorne’s idea of change in the story could only be started by Phoebe because she was a Pyncheon but was not affected by the family history. Holgrave does not even consider her a Pyncheon, whom he believed were infected with a lunacy (128). True change meant one of the Pyncheons changing their legacy, not an outsider but one of their own moving on and taking control of their future. In this Hawthorne is saying that people should make changes for themselves and not just live in the past. As Holgrave said, “‘The truth is, that, once in every half century, at longest, a family should be merged into the great, obscure mass of humanity, and forget all about its ancestors.’”(128). To some extent this is the action that Phoebe took and that is why she was able to overcome the “Pyncheon curse” that so many others could not. Change is a struggle not something that takes place instantly it took many generations of a family to realize this fact and act upon it.
Kate - This is solid, useful feedback. What you might want to try next time is stepping back just a little from the details (which you handle very well) and dedicating a little more time to the argument of the paper as a whole (which, after all, is what they are mostly evaluated on).
Andre - If I understand your first paragraph correctly, you're basically arguing that there is a *psychological* change, which is perfectly real. I like that approach, but I think you could have clarified it a little bit.
I think this is what you are arguing through the rest of the paper, but clarifying your focus on psychological change would have helped streamline things throughout. It would have also clarified your counterargument: Clifford and Hepzibah seem to be in brighter moods at times, but not at others.
Clifford didn't kill the judge, by the way - he had some sort of attack or fit. And a closer analysis of the train trip would have been productive as well - the fact that they turn around so readily might have made you question whether the change was authentic.
The fact that you don't pay any attention to the end of the book -- whether your real focus is psychological or not -- is weird, especially since you did a revision. The ending - which has the newly merged family occupying the Judge's place, and to an extent his power - could work for you, since your focus is on the psychology of individuals, but it also highlights the importance of that focus.
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