Beneath an Umbrella (From "Twice Told Tales")

"Beneath an Umbrella (From 'Twice Told Tales')" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a look into a rainy winter day through the eyes of a lone walker in a 19th-century New England town. Wandering through the storm, the narrator finds himself amidst a cast of characters—lovers, old sailors, and everyday townsfolk—all battling the tempest in their own style. The story paints a vivid picture of a dark and wet day, using these everyday encounters to explore the deeper themes of being alone, what it means to be human, and the connection between harsh weather and soft human thought. Hawthorne brings the reader to understand that even in the darkest storms, a little faith can be like a guiding light and lead us home as it shines out into our path.