Hawth

Peter goldthwaite's treasure is another one of Hawthorne's stories in twice-told tales about a village eccentric in this case the eponymous Peter who has been a completely unfortunate businessman always dreaming of making a sudden fortune thru his outlandish speculations - Mexican real estate, provincial currency eg - and ending up in dire poverty his only possession his fairly large house. His former biz partner wants to buy the house but p refuses to sell because he has the curious idea that his ancestor of same name and misfortune had hidden a great treasure somewhere in the house. He proceeds over the course of a year to demolish the house as he lives in it - with the help of his ever-faithful and sensible housekeeper who uses the boards from the building for heat. In the end the house has literally consumed itself as h notes - and then the former biz partner comes along and against expectations makes a more than fair offer for the property and takes peter and housekeeper under his protection. So H is a bit of a sentimentalist here. We realize that peter's treasure is not material but personal. H is also a bit sentimental nostalgic or naive or all of above about capitalism and social responsibility - how should we look at this? Capitalists will take care of the needy? We'd all b fine if we just let the forces of the free market have their way? We should leave "charity" to individuals rather than to government? Capitalism today is more rapacious faceless and abstract - a corporation - can you say Bain? - would no doubt snatch up peter's property in foreclosure and put in condos.

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