Project Gutenberg 2005-11-01 Public domain in the USA. 208 Hawthorne, Nathaniel 1804 1864 The Christmas Banquet (From "Mosses from an Old Manse") Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosses_from_an_Old_Manse David Widger and Al Haines Updated: 2022-11-09. "The Christmas Banquet (From 'Mosses from an Old Manse')" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a poignant allegorical tale that falls within the genre of short fiction, written during the 19th century, specifically in the Romantic era. The story delves into the nature of human sadness and existential despair, exploring how individuals cope with their own misery and the specter of death, particularly through the lens of a Christmas gathering intended to highlight human suffering rather than joy. The narrative centers around an extraordinary Christmas dinner hosted by the will of a melancholic gentleman who allocates funds to provide a banquet for the most miserable individuals he can find. As various guests—each representing different forms of sorrow and despair—gather at the table, they share their tragic stories and reflect on the nature of human suffering. Among them sits Gervayse Hastings, a young man seemingly devoid of genuine emotion, which raises questions regarding his presence among such afflicted souls. The stark contrast between Hastings' outward success and the profound inner desolation of the other guests serves as a vehicle for exploring themes of authenticity, the search for meaning, and the chilling sense of disconnect that comes from living without true grief or joy. The evening ultimately unfolds in a darkly ironic manner, culminating in a chilling realization about the nature of existence and the burdens of unacknowledged suffering. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 63.0 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en Short stories New England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction PS Text Browsing: Culture/Civilization/Society Browsing: Literature Browsing: Fiction 68902 2025-06-04T08:59:00.823230 text/html 68615 2022-11-09T04:07:16 text/html 123300 2025-06-04T08:59:07.232225 application/epub+zip 122119 2025-06-04T08:59:04.637208 application/epub+zip 87981 2025-06-04T08:59:03.301247 application/epub+zip 333870 2025-06-04T08:59:09.091304 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 327243 2025-06-04T08:59:06.390263 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 267908 2022-09-05T03:33:24.955384 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 62384 2025-06-04T08:59:00.544261 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 62027 2022-11-09T04:10:32 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19053 2025-06-04T08:59:09.238192 application/rdf+xml 24917 2025-06-04T08:59:03.860212 image/jpeg 5144 2025-06-04T08:59:03.578234 image/jpeg 24503 2022-11-09T04:10:55 application/octet-stream application/zip 25925 2022-11-09T04:11:15 application/octet-stream application/zip 125100 2025-06-04T08:59:00.831226 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia