Nathaniel Hawthorne 
Main Street (From: ’The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales’) 

This is a vivid and evocative short story from the renowned author Nathaniel Hawthorne, originally published in ’The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales’. In this literary masterpiece, Hawthorne takes the reader on a journey through time and history, as he envisions the growth and transformation of the main street in his hometown. With a masterful blend of imagination, nostalgia, and wit, Hawthorne creates a captivating pictorial exhibition of the past, using puppets dressed in various historical fashions to bring to life the ghosts of the forefathers. The story begins with a vision of the ancient and primitive wood that once stood where the main street now lies and gradually unfolds to reveal the many historical incidents and characters that have passed along this thoroughfare over two centuries. From the majestic Indian queen and priest who once walked these woods, to the settlers who arrived to build a new world, to the modern-day residents who continue to shape the street’s identity, ’Main Street’ is a literary tour de force that offers a rich and illuminating glimpse into the heart of American history and culture.