In Prefaces to the Experience of Literature, Lionel Trilling explains the parallels in My Kinsman, Major Molineux. He believes that Hawthorne created this literary story to reflect that of his own life. He says that the character Robin has similarities and emotions that parallel that of Hawthorne's own life. For example, Hawthorne isolated himself from society and stayed in a room for twelve years. Robin also experiences this when he is given a lesson and isolated from the group of a new colony. Robin's own pride caused misery because he thought he did should deserve more than he for being a kinsman.
             In this story, Hawthorne displays his urge to expose the characters inside emotions and thoughts. This characteristic that Hawthorne possesses makes him the first of the influential American writers of fiction to do so. Throughout the story Hawthorne keeps the reader on his/her toes as they experience the short story through many different perspectives. Trilling explains how the reader gets to make the final decision in the paper depending on what they feel would happen. The question that they get to answer is if Robin joined the rest of the group or if he left on the next leaving ship.
             In Lionel Trilling's perspective, Robin joined the colony but then soon realized that he could not survive there because he did not fit in. He also believed that Robin seemed too much like and Englishman. Trilling concludes that Hawthorne and Robin
             parallel because they both are rejected by their own societies. This above critique was found in the following:
             In Trilling, Lionel. Prefaces to the Experience of Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanich, c1979, pp.69-73.
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