Herman Melville's response to Nathaniel Hawthorne

Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne are two of the most influential authors in American Literature. Both men wrote about similar themes, creating great admiration between them. The relationship that had grown between them was a source of critic and interpretation that would ultimately influence each of their works. Melville in particular was moved by Hawthorne's intellectual stimulation and inspired him to write Moby-Dick, a dramatic novel that has proved to be one of the greatest …

…if obstacles get in the way. Melville demonstrates the conflict between good and evil and proves that unless individuality is achieved evil will prevail. Hawthorne explored this through Hester's success story and Melville proved it through Ahab's failure. Both writers wrote about similar themes, but in different fashions. However, they ultimately arose at the same conclusion; be your own person acting only by free will and one will be successful and the good will prevail.