Imagery In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Custom House'

Hawthorne uses both extended metaphor and repeated use of imagery in order to show his disdain towards the U.S Federal Government. He compares the government towards an cold hearted, overtly hostile eagle. The eagle is depicted as protective, yet temperamental and dangerous as it is is armed with, “..intermingled thunderbolts and barbed arrows.” In saying this, Hawthorne compares the government towards a vicious animal with no sense of compassion within its heart.

In this passage from, “The Custom House”, Hawthorne proceeds to describe the bleakness of Salem, Massachusetts. He describes how salem is “scorned”, by mentioning how grass has grown through the cracks on the sidewalk due to no one walking on it, and how no one visits Salem’s