Nathaniel Hawthorne and Transcendentalism Quiz

Why did Hawthorne initially struggle to support his family?

• His wife did not support his career
• He was a poor farmer
• He refused to work in politics
• He could not make a living from writing alone

What unique perspective did Hawthorne have toward Transcendentalism?

• He fully embraced Transcendentalist ideals
• He was indifferent to Transcendentalist thought
• He sought a balance between reason and emotion
• He completely rejected Transcendentalist philosophy

What historical connection did Hawthorne have to the Salem Witch Trials?

• He was a victim of the trials
• His father was a judge
• He wrote a book about the trials
• His great-grandfather was the chief interrogator

How did Hawthorne view the concept of self-reliance proposed by Emerson?

• He fully supported it
• He believed it could lead to excessive pride
• He thought it was irrelevant
• He considered it a minor philosophical concept

What political issue did Hawthorne have reservations about?

• Slavery and abolitionism
• European immigration
• Women's rights
• Native American policies

How did Hawthorne differ from traditional European Romance writers?

• He focused on the present rather than a romanticized past
• He avoided using Gothic elements
• He only wrote historical fiction
• He wrote exclusively about European settings

What bureaucratic position did Hawthorne hold to support his family?

• Postal Surveyor
• City Clerk
• Tax Collector
• Salem Custom House Surveyor

Which literary themes were prominent in Hawthorne's work?

• Technological progress
• Modern urban life
• International diplomacy
• Individual versus society

What significant event occurred in 1849 that impacted Hawthorne's life?

• He lost his government position
• He moved to Europe
• He published The Scarlet Letter
• His mother died

How did Hawthorne view human fulfillment?

• Through strict religious adherence
• Through emotional experiences
• Through a balance of mind, reason, heart, spirit, will, and imagination
• Through material success