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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelThe story of The House of the Seven Gables is about a problem of heredity
on the Pyncheon family. In this novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne clearly states that the
theme is the truth that the act of the passing generation is the germ which may and
must produce good or evil fruit in a far-distant time. Colonel Pyncheon, as the
progenitor of the Pyncheon family, has planted the past which produces good or
evil fruit on his descendants. In this thesis, the writer observes about the character
traits of Colonel Pyncheon and his descendants and the fruit of their actions
toward themselves and other people by applying the theory of characterization.
There are seven characters that will be analyzed, namely the Colonel himself as
the one who planted the root of the evil deed and his six descendants. Through
their speeches, their actions, other characters' opinions, and the author's comment,
the writer tries to answer her curiosity about the character traits of Colonel
Pyncheon and his descendants to determine what is passed down from the
Colonel's act and about the fruit it produces. In analyzing the characters, the
thesis writer finds out that three descendants-Gervayse, Alice, and Judge Jaffrey
Pyncheon-produce evil fruit toward themselves. Gervayse and the Judge inherit
the Colonel's greediness which makes them perform evil deeds. As a result, their
actions produce evil fruit on themselves and other people. Alice inherits the
Colonel's pride which is revealed through her action and resulted in her tragic end.
The rest three descendants-Hepzibah, Clifford, and Phoebe-she produce good
fruit toward themselves. She finds out that these descendants have good character
traits that make them perform good deeds which produce good fruit on them.