Appearance vs. Reality

Where it surfaces

• II: The Little Shopwindow

  Hepzibah's stern, frowning visage belies her tender, fearful heart; the shop's humble exterior masks the profound emotional and moral struggle within.

• III: The First Customer

  Holgrave tells Hepzibah that the 'ugly shapes' she fears are as unreal as storybook giants, and the contrast between her scowl and her kind heart underscores the theme.

• IV: A Day Behind the Counter

  Judge Pyncheon's benevolent smile masks a cold, hard character, and Hepzibah's outward scowl conceals deep inner turmoil.

• May and November

  The white roses appear beautiful from a distance but many have blight at their hearts, mirroring the decay hidden beneath the house's genteel facade.

• Maule's Well

  Holgrave's daguerreotype exposes a stern, hard character beneath a benevolent public face, contrasting surface appearance with hidden truth.

• The Guest

  Clifford's graceful gestures and faded damask robe mask his inner desolation; Hepzibah's scowl belies her loving heart.

• VIII: The Pyncheon of Today

  Judge Pyncheon's benevolent smile and polished exterior contrast sharply with his fierce, grim purpose and the terror he inspires in Clifford and Hepzibah.

• IX: Clifford and Phoebe

  Hepzibah's scowl and harsh voice belie her deep love and devotion, while Phoebe's light exterior conceals a thoughtful, sympathetic nature.

• The Pyncheon Garden

  Clifford sees beautiful and dark faces in Maule's well that are mere shadows and reflections, symbolizing the deceptive nature of his perceptions.

• XI: The Arched Window

  The Sabbath transforms the townspeople's appearance, making their garments seem like ascension-robes, yet Clifford and Hepzibah feel like ghosts, highlighting the disparity between outward piety and inner desolation.

• XIV: Phoebe’s Goodbye

  Holgrave's calm exterior hides his mystical and potentially dangerous powers; Phoebe's simple demeanor belies her deep influence on the household.

• XV: The Scowl and Smile

  Judge Pyncheon's public benevolence contrasts sharply with his hidden corruption, symbolized by the corpse beneath the palace.

• XVI: Clifford's Chamber

  Judge Pyncheon's public reputation as a philanthropist and church member contrasts with Hepzibah's knowledge of his hollow integrity and ruthless pursuit of selfish ends.

• Governor Pyncheon

  Judge Pyncheon's respectable appearance contrasts with his inner hypocrisy and sin, as highlighted by the narrator's rhetorical questions.

• XIX: Alice’s Posies

  The house appears inviting and cheerful in the morning sun, belying the tragedy and death within; the beautiful Alice's Posies bloom as a sign of consummation while the Judge lies dead.

• XX: The Flower of Eden

  The flight of Hepzibah and Clifford threatens to cast suspicion on them, though they are innocent; the truth of the Judge's death must be revealed to counteract false appearances.