Notes

A few of the purposes of this chapter is getting to know the narrator. The reader has the opportunity to know how the narrator feels about his hometown..
It is important to know how the narrator feels about his hometown because it kind of tells the reader about how they feel about their childhood. In this case, the narrator seems to not like his hometown a whole lot. “This old town of Salem- my native place ...its physical aspect is concerned, with its flat unvaried surface, covered chiefly with wooden houses… which is neither picturesque nor quaint, but only tame,” (Hawthorne 7). This quote gives the reader an exact idea of how negatively he feels about Salem, hence the line,“neither picturesque nor quaint”. It is important to know the background of the narrator because you can get used to their tone, and their character.
How does Hawthorne’s family history contribute to his attitude toward The Custom House and his place in society?
Hawthorne’s family history affects his attitude toward The Custom House a lot. It makes him more ambitious to set and keep goals. “I shall do better amongst other faces; and these familiar ones…” (Hawthorne 28). The fact that he wishes to feel so connected and emotionally tied to his family must be very stressful. He feels that he always has to live up to his family’s standards. Maybe that is why he says “I shall do better amongst other faces…”.
How would you describe Hawthorne’s attitude toward his former job and fellow workers?
Hawthorne’s attitude towards his workers is quite negative. He states that his workers are, to put it simply, very lazy and old.