SuitabookBiographical Stories
Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Reading
- Consider reading this passage together, pausing to acknowledge Edward’s fear without assuming the ending. Invite the reader to notice how the writing describes darkness, sounds, touch and emotional distance.
- Themes
- Illness and threatened blindness: Edward’s delicate sight and severe eye disorder lead a surgeon to restrict light and cover his eyes, amid concern that he could become blind. The passage presents the treatment and Edward’s fear vividly, but does not show whether the book ultimately approves, questions or resolves the medical situation.
- Isolation and family connection: Although Edward’s family remains nearby, darkness makes their faces disappear and causes him to feel separated from them. The writing gives strong emotional weight to perceived isolation while also recognising voices, footsteps, embraces and touch as forms of connection.
- Worth knowing
- The passage may deserve attention if a reader finds medical treatment, possible blindness, darkness, or separation upsetting. The full collection’s emotional range and handling of these subjects remain unclear.