I was wondering if you could tell me some of the difference and simlarities of Nathaniel Hawthornes Selected Talks and Poe's Selected Tales and Sketches. Are their writtings similar or more different. If you could tell me which stories are similar in their purpose. Thanks

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2003

Answers

Hawthorne uses third person narration,allegory and theme according to the Puritan traditions(Bunyan) with some moralizing. Read Poe's own appreciative essay though on Hawthorne(ww.eapoe.org). In spite of their differences Poe admired the prose skill, the suggestivity. Poe hated moralizing, as a substu=ituted vague symbolism for simplistic allegory and drew the mind into the story where Hawthorne used more traditional methods. Compare the TellTale Heart with The Scarlet Letter about guilt and crime.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2003