In "The House of Seven Gables" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the literary term tone is frequently used by the author, which adds to description of the Puritan values important to Hawthorne. He also uses tone to enhance descriptions using dialogue. Further, Hawthorne uses tone to describe the theme of maturation.
             First, Hawthorne uses tone as a way to explain Puritan values. For example, Hawthorne writes
             "A man of sturdy understanding, like Judge Pyncheon, cares no more for twelve o'clock at night than for the corresponding hour of noon. However, just the parallel drawn, in some of the preceding pages between his Puritan ancestor and himself, it fails to this point. The Pyncheon of two centuries ago, in common with most of his contemporaries, professed his full belief in spiritual ministrations, although reckoning them chiefly of a malignant character" (Hawthorne 243).
             This quote is an example of the Puritan heritage Hawthorne is part of. The quote tells of "spiritual ministrations" which helped to build up a person's character in a positive way. The quote hints at the importance of ancestors in one's family, because Judge Pyncheon was supposed to have a parallel lifestyle to his uncle, and the above quote draws a connection between the narration of Maule at the beginning chapter of the book, with the description of Judge Pyncheon. Another example of Puritan values important to Hawthorne are spoken about on page 105,
             "Tradition affirmed that the Puritan had been greedy of wealth; the Judge too, with all the show of liberal expenditure, was said to be as close-fisted as if his gripe were of iron. The ancestor had clothed himself in a grim assumption of kindliness, a rough heartiness of word and manner, which most people took to be the genuine warmth of nature, making its way through the thick and inflexible hide of a manly character" (Hawthorne 105).
             The quote also speaks of values important to the Puritan heritage of Hawthor...