Nathaniel Hawthorne, born on Independence Day in 1807, led an unorganized childhood, frequently changing schools. Despite all the chaos surrounding his youth, Hawthorne gained experiences that allowed him to create novels and short stories that later earned places as classics of American literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born to Elizabeth Manning Hathorne and Nathaniel Hathorne, the son of an infamous judge-in-charge. for having sentenced many young girls to death for witchcraft (Whitney). For this reason, Hawthorne changed his name from Nathaniel Hathorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne found the legacy left by his grandfather and father despicable and changed his name in an attempt to distance himself from the name infamous in the tragic early history of Salem (European Graduate School Faculty). Just four years after Hawthorne's birth, his father contracted and died of yellow fever. After the loss of the family patriarch, the rest of the family moved in with Elizabeth's brothers. Nathaniel Hawthorne began attending school in Worcester before he was seriously injured. The details surrounding this injury have never been recounted, but it appears that it was during this time that Hawthorne acquired his love of reading. After recovering months later, Hawthorne began attending boarding school in Stroudwater, Maine in 1818. Nathaniel Hawthorne then returned to his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts to attend the Samuel Archer School in order to prepare for college. In 1820, Benjamin Oliver taught Hawthorne in Salem just prior to Hawthorne's admission and attendance at Bowdoin College. Throughout his studies at Bowdoin College, Hawthorne's social life often took center stage. Hawthorne became friends with people like Henry Wadswor...... middle of paper ......lOverType=&query=&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Plot-Summary&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=true&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results = & p = suic & action = e & catid = Gale%7c0000000000mp9t & Activitytype = & scanid = & Documentid = Gale%7cej2101301736 & Source = Bookmark & ​​U = Tel_S_TSLA & JSID = CE076E7B96721ED7D42A042694146B00> nes. “Nathaniel Hawthorne – Biography.” 2012. The European Higher School. April 9, 2014. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The scarlet letter. New York: Penguin Group, 2009. Newberry, Frederick. “Customs.” 2006. American History through Literature 1820-1870. April 11, 2014. Whitney, Teri. “The Beginnings of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Introduction.” April 2, 2014. Hawthorne in Salem. April 9, 2014.—. “The Wife and Children of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Introduction.” April 2, 2014. Hawthorne in Salem. April 10 2014.