The House of Seven Gables and the Pathfinder

1392 Words6 Pages
In the novels, The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Pathfinder, by James Cooper, there are characters that share similarities and differences. There are many important characters in the The House of Seven Gables, such as, Clifford Pyncheon, Hepzibah Pyncheon, Judge Pyncheon, Holgrave, and Phoebe Pyncheon. The important characters that will be focused on in The Pathfinder are Natty Bumppo, Jasper Western, Mabel, Cap, and the characters that can be classified into the French, British, and their Indian allies. The similarities and differences of traits between these characters significantly distinguish good versus evil, and bravery versus cowardice. The first two characters that share similar qualities are Judge Pyncheon from The House of Seven Gables, and Mable’s uncle, Cap from The Pathfinder. Judge Pyncheon was the owner of the House, and simply called, “the Judge. He is the novel’s most visible antagonist, and is a living example of the cruelty and ambition that brought the Pyncheon family such misfortune. The most important feature he had, was his deceiving smile, which gave the reader a better understanding of how his personality was. The judge wanted everyone to think he was so innocent, but in fact, he was overwhelmingly selfish. Judge Pyncheon is similar to Cap, from The Pathfinder. Although he is not the most visible antagonist in the novel, his attitude of greed, superiority, and ignorance, cause him to be intellectually blinded. He is unable to judge the people around him, and puts his trust in the worst villains, such as the Tuscarora Arrowhead, and Corporal Muir, while being suspicious of the faithful Jasper. Cap and Judge Pyncheon are similar because they both have their outrageous moments. Another similarity between these two novels are Cap from The Pathfinder, and Clifford Pyncheon, from The House of Seven Gables. Clifford is
Open Document