Hawthorne

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'Roger Malvin's Burial' explores the idea of guilt and how it can shape one's entire life. The story takes place after Lovell's fight. Reuben leaves his father in law to die in the forest with the promise that he will return to bury him. Reuben returns home and marries Dorca and continues on with life, putting aside his promise to bury his father in law. Their marriage starts with a lie and as the guilt continues to build on Reuben which in turn, affects his relationship with Dorca. His lie eats away at their hopeful happy existence and hinders their achieving the American Dream.

Nathaniel Hawthorne was a significant author in American literature. He worked with his short stories to explore ideas central to the human condition such as loneliness, frustration and guilt. He also weaved biblical imagery into his work. Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 and died May 19, 1864.He was not always able to support himself by his writing in his life but came into more success in his later life. The majority of his works centers around New England, have moral allegories and are included as part of the Romantic movement.

The idea of the American Dream played a huge role in "Roger Malvin's Burial.' Reuben's pursuit of his idea of happiness is what kept him from telling the truth to Dorca and it was his guilt that doomed their marriage. Reuben might have believed that keeping Dorca from the truth would protect their happy life it in fact took over him. They were unable to achieve the 'American Dream' and in fact lost more than they could imagine when Reuben accidentally shot his son.

Important Quotations

"Carry my blessing to Dorcas, and say that my last prayer shall be for her and you. Bid her to have no hard thoughts because you left me here," --Reuben's heart smote him,--"for that your life would not have weighed with you if its sacrifice could have done me good. She will marry you after she has mourned a little while for her father; and Heaven grant you long and happy days, and may your children's children stand round your death bed! And, Reuben," added he, as the weakness of mortality made its way at last, "return, when your wounds are healed and your weariness refreshed,--return to this wild rock, and lay my bones in the grave, and say a prayer over them."

Reuben felt it impossible to acknowledge that his selfish love of life had hurried him away before her father's fate was decided. He spoke not; he only bowed his head; and, between shame and exhaustion, sank back and hid his face in the pillow. Dorcas wept when her fears were thus confirmed; but the shock, as it had been long anticipated. was on that account the less violent. "You dug a grave for my poor father in the wilderness, Reuben?" was the question by which her filial piety manifested itself. "My hands were weak; but I did what I could," replied the youth in a smothered tone. "There stands a noble tombstone above his head; and I would to Heaven I slept as soundly as he!"

"This broad rock is the gravestone of your near kindred, Dorcas," said her husband. "Your tears will fall at once over your father and your son." She heard him not. With one wild shriek, that seemed to force its way from the sufferer's inmost soul, she sank insensible by the side of her dead boy. At that moment the withered topmost bough of the oak loosened itself in the stilly air, and fell in soft, light fragments upon the rock, upon the leaves, upon Reuben, upon his wife and child, and upon Roger Malvin's bones. Then Reuben's heart was stricken, and the tears gushed out like water from a rock. The vow that the wounded youth had made the blighted man had come to redeem. His sin was expiated,--the curse was gone from him; and in the hour when he had shed blood dearer to him than his own, a prayer, the first for years, went up to Heaven from the lips of Reuben Bourne.

Sources ."Nathaniel Hawthorne." //Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition// (2010): 1. //Academic Search Complete//. EBSCO. Web. 3 May 2011.