"My Kinsman, Major Molineux"

Manos Mathew

English 206

Prof D.S

"My Kinsman, Major Molineux" is a short story narrative written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This story is about a young boy trying to find his kinsman, and the different obstacles he had to go through in order to find him.

This story took place during the early beginnings of the American Revolution, in the New England area, mainly in or near the Massachusetts Bay colony. In order for the reader to understand this time period, Hawthorne asks the reader to try to remember or even research the time period he is going to talk about. "The reader, in order to avoid a long and dry detail of colonial affairs, is requested to dispense with an account of the train of circumstances, that had caused much temporary inflammation of the popular mind."(Baym 1223). This setting is essential in understanding the actions taken place in this story.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Robin Berjon

This story opens with a young boy named, Robin trying to find his kinsman Major Molineux. He approached many people trying to find his kinsman. Of all the people he approaches none were helpful in locating his kinsman. Most of the people he met either laughed in his face or gave him some kind of disturbing expression. Finally he got an answer and he found out that his kinsman was being humiliated and laughed at by everyone. Hawthorne presents here a chronologically ordered and highly crafted piece that is written in the third person limited-omniscient.

The major character in this story is Robin, and Hawthorne explains him very intricately. Robin is an 18-year-old youth who travels to find his uncle. As he arrives, he is confident that everything will work out, even though he doesn't know where Major Molineux lives. Aside from describing his mission, Hawthorne...