Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbols and characters to depict the struggle between aristocratic and democratic ideas in his novel, The House of the Seven Gables. The democratic ideas that develop throughout the novel prevail against aristocratic greed, injustice, and pride. Hawthorne begins his novel with the rule of the aristocracy by describing Colonel Pyncheon's acquisition of the house through power and greed. The novel takes place during the lives of Hepzibah and Jaffery Pyncheon, descendants of the original Colonel, who built the house and laid the foundation for generations of resentment and hatred between the Pyncheons and the Maules. The judge eventually falls, bringing with him the negative aspects of the aristocracy while allowing the rest of the characters to live democratically and freely. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Hawthorne illustrates the lesson of false appearances by comparing the judge, an aristocratic and deceptive member of society, to the rotten roses in the garden . When Phoebe looks out the window of the house, she sees a rose bush "of luxuriant growth" that is "covered with a rare and very beautiful kind of white rose" (59). However, she later discovers that “a large portion [of the roses]… had blight or mold at the core” (50). From a distance, the rosebush looks “as if it had been brought back from Eden that summer,” but if you look closely, the core is moldy and rotten. (59) This same notion of falsity and disguise is emphasized several times throughout the novel, particularly in reference to aristocratic characters such as the Colonel and the Judge. They both seem to be prominent figures in society, but their hearts are rotten with greed and arrogance. Early in the novel, the judge is described as "exhibiting more Pyncheon qualities...than any member of his race since the days of the original Puritan" (17). The judge resembles the colonel, not only in appearance, but also in personality and attitude. Both men embody aristocracy by being “extremely respectable” in society, but also deceitful in many ways. (17). Just like the rose, the judge deceives those in society who respect him for “the purity of his judicial character; his remarkable zeal as president of the Bible Society; and the cleanliness of his moral behavior” (196). He hides behind the mask of a religious puritan and an honest judge, but his downfall at the end reveals his true self. Despite the judge's sudden and violent death, Hepzibah finds a way to escape this consequence by freeing herself from the family pride she has clung to. She opens a penny store and makes a revolutionary change in her life by defying the greed of the colonel and the judge. Even though society views Hepzibah “with little satisfaction,” Hepzibah still considers herself a woman of high social status. (43) She proclaims: “I was born a lady and I have always lived one… always a lady!” » (36). Raised with respect for rules, good manners and pride, Hepzibah struggles to let go of her past and start a new life. She continues to cling to her family's aristocratic values, while her wealth rapidly diminishes. Eventually, Hepzibah opened the penny store and freed herself from everything that tied her to her name by earning an honest living. Hawthorne describes Hepzibah not as a lady, but as “simply Hepzibah Pyncheon…the keeper of a penny store” (42). This quote signifies the independence she gains by defying the characteristics of her greedy ancestors. Hepzibah,by opening his boutique to a hundred, frees himself from the limits of his ancestral pride and changes his life towards a more democratic way of life. As this democracy increases in the novel, Hawthorne illustrates the decline of aristocracy through the chickens. These “hens of aristocratic lineage” (76), are made up of “Chanticleer, his two wives and a solitary chicken” (74). These are pure breeds of a breed of chickens which, "in the prime of life", have reached great size and prestige; yet, over the generations, it became thin and “had a strange rusty and withered appearance” (74). By intermarrying within the same group for years, the chickens lost their “delicate flesh” and their prestigious size, “the result of too strict vigilance to keep it pure” (74). These chickens symbolize the degeneration of the Pyncheon family through the generations. Once described as "such an admirable breed of fowl," the Pyncheon dynasty became "dismal" due to its own greed and arrogance. (74) The garden at the back of the house, however, appears as a symbol of democracy and renewal throughout the novel. Hawthorne describes the garden in great detail, describing it as a "sheltered and sunny" refuge for Pheobe, Clifford and Holgrave. (72) A refreshing change from the gloomy gloom of the house, the garden transcends the ancestral disputes between the Pyncheons and the Maules. When Phoebe first enters the garden, she observes a pair of robins “who had built their nest in the pear tree and were making themselves extremely busy and happy” (73). In this quote, the robins' nest symbolizes a creation while their happiness and freedom are examples of democratic traits found in the garden. Phoebe also finds "flowers in the garden" that appear "as if they were endowed with feeling and intelligence" (125). The rebirth and happiness found in the garden are all democratic elements which contrast with the “melancholic” house which “never lets the sun in”. (61) The “dust” and “continued degradation” prove that the house is no longer habitable. (62) Likewise, the aristocracy, which the house embodies, is no longer accepted and valued in society. Instead, democracy, with its attitude toward happiness and freedom, ultimately triumphs. Additionally, Holgrave is a character who represents the democratic views of the novel. On Hepzibah's first day of work in the penny store, she screams hysterically at Holgrave, saying, "I wish I were dead, and in the old family tomb, with all my ancestors!" (35) Afterwards, she categorically declares that she is a worthy lady and too old to participate in the world. However, Holgrave is not one to dwell on the past. He comforts Hepzibah's cries by criticizing the archaic titles of "gentleman and lady", claiming that they "imply not a privilege, but a restriction!" » (36-37) The quotes above illustrate Holgrave's belief in the evolution that a society undergoes over time. For him, keeping up with the pace of society's development is crucial, and those who refuse to comply only live in the past, like Hepzibah. Anxious to “get rid of the past,” Holgrave says to Phoebe one day in the garden: “[the past] lies upon the Present like the corpse of a giant!” » (155) He continues to explain that “we have had enough of the illnesses of the dead, physical and moral” (156). These illnesses could be interpreted as symbolizing the ancestral conflicts from which Hepzibah continually suffers. If she could free herself from the Colonel's mistakes, Hepzibah would be a healthier, more independent woman rather than a slave to the past. At the end of the day,..