The Christmas Banquet (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")

: "The Christmas Banquet (From 'Mosses from an Old Manse')" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a sorrowful story set during a strange Christmas celebration, exploring feelings of sadness that people have and the fear of dying. It tells about a special Christmas dinner paid for by a sad man, where the invited quests are those who are known to be the most sad. They all come together and tell their stories of pain, highlighting the different forms of suffering that exist. A man named Gervayse Hastings attends, and he appears to not have any emotions; this makes others question why he is there. He represents a man that seems successful on the outside, unlike the others. The night goes on, and it is revealed that it is dark and ironic, exposing the truth about life and how some people’s problems go unnoticed by others.