| Author |
Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864 |
| Title |
Fire Worship (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 58.4 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
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| Credits |
David Widger and Al Haines
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| Summary |
"Fire Worship (From 'Mosses from an Old Manse')" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an essay written in the early to mid-19th century, during the American Romantic period. This reflective piece captures the transition from traditional open fireplaces to the modernity of the air-tight stove, symbolizing a loss of warmth, connection, and the deep human experiences tied to fire. The essay conveys Hawthorne's nostalgia for the past and critiques the societal shift towards utilitarian inventions that lack the emotional and communal significance of a lively hearth. In this essay, Hawthorne mourns the decline of the open fireplace, which served not only as a source of warmth but also as a centerpiece for familial gatherings, storytelling, and shared companionship. He contrasts the communal spirit fostered by the flames of an open fire with the cold, isolating nature of a stove that confines fire to an iron prison. By illustrating vivid scenes of life around the hearth—from the clergyman's use of fire to inspire his sermons to the comforts it brought to families—Hawthorne highlights the detrimental effects of modernity on social interactions and the diminishing importance of shared, spontaneous moments. Overall, the essay serves as a lament for lost connections and the profound role that fire played in nurturing human relationships and emotional well-being. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
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| Subject |
Short stories
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| Subject |
New England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
9223 |
| Release Date |
Nov 1, 2005 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Nov 9, 2022 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
59 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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