Nathaniel Hawthorne was a man of business, politics, nature, morals, dedication, and imagination who was greatly haunted by the actions of his Puritan ancestors (Gollin 360). As one of the pioneers of notable American literature, Hawthorne used the issues of his time and the history of Puritan New England as a setting. He was the son of Nathaniel Hathorne and Elizabeth Manning and was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. After his father's death, Hawthorne and his family moved into his mother's home. He later went to Bowdoin College and graduated in 1825. Here he became friends with future US President Franklin Pierce. He had no interest in medicine, ministry, and law, so he chose to write (Gollin 358). Perhaps out of shame at sharing a bond with men like John and William Hathorne, he later added aw to his surname. His first works were short stories placed in periodicals and finally in Twice Told Tales which earned him fame. Then, he spent a year at both the Boston Custom House and the utopian Brook Farm. Both of these experiences stifled his imagination, and so he left. After marrying Sophia Peabody and having children, Hawthorne became destitute. Thus, thanks to his ties to the Democratic Party, he earned a stable job at the Salem Custom House, but lost it when the Whigs took over. So he began writing again and produced his most acclaimed works. Eventually, President Pierce appointed him United States consul in Liverpool. From Liverpool he moved to Italy, where he wrote a novel, back to England, and finally back to Concord, Massachusetts. There he died on May 19, 1864. Hawthorne ran the literary gamut from children's books and short stories to powerful novels. Ultimately, Hawthorne represents the way in which the problems... at the center of the paper... the Encyclopedia of books. vol. 9. Chicago: World, 2009. 114-115. Print.Delaney, Bill. "Hawthorne, Nathaniel." Magill's survey of American literature. Rev. ed. Pasadena: Salem, 2007. Literary Reference Center. Network. December 23, 2010. .Gollin, Rita K. "Hawthorne, Nathaniel." American national biography. Ed. Garraty and Carnes. vol. 10. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. 356-363. Print.Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Nathaniel Hawthorne." Preface. The Scarlet Letter. By Hawthorne. New York City: Bantam, 1988. Page No. Press.- - -. The Scarlet Letter. 1850. New York City: Bantam, 1988. Print.Liukkonen, Petri, and Ari Pesonen. "Nathaniel Hawthorne." Kirjasto. Np, 2008. Web. 23 December. 2010. .