Discussion Questions for

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s "My Kinsman, Major Molineux"

1.) How are the various aspects of the setting -- the year, the time of year, the time of day, the part of the U.S., the parts of town -- important to our understanding of the story?

2.) What are the “gothic” elements in this story? (Your answers here might include some of the answers from question #1.)

3.) What kind of person is Robin (character)? Does he change, develop, or grow over the course of the story? If so, how?

4.) Explain the significance of Robin’s encounters with the various townspeople.

5.) What is significant about the church and the various details and descriptions of it?

6.) Why does Hawthorne bring up the idea that Robin might be dreaming (or might have dreamt) the whole thing?

7.) What happens to Major Molineux? Or, why is Major Molineux “tarred and feathered”?

8.) Why does Robin laugh the loudest? How is this laughter related to the preceding sequence of events (plot)? What is(are) the effect(s) of his laugh?

9.) What is the essential / central tension or conflict within this story?

10.) What are some possible themes, messages, or morals or this story?