Mount Washington, New Hampshire. Source: http://www.nhbfa.com
A Hundred Thousand Straightened
Nails by Donald Hall (Page 252) is a description of the
life of the author’s uncle, Washington Woodward. Throughout the story, Hall
reflects on the insignificance of Washington’s existence, often connecting this
idea with the setting, New Hampshire. Donald Hall, a graduate of Phillips
Exeter Academy, Harvard and Oxford, is a respected writer and literary critic.
Known primarily for his poems, he has received numerous awards, including most
recently the National Medal of Arts in 2010, presented to him by President
Barack Obama.
The
author’s purpose in writing this essay is to show that most people live
pointless lives that have little impact on the world. He demonstrates through
Washington that although his uncle had little principles or close
relationships, his “hermit” lifestyle was satisfying to himself, which, at the
end of the day, is all that matters. Hall’s intended audience seems to be
people who have high expectations for the repercussions of their lives.
Setting
affects the mood of Hall’s essay. He describes his ancestor’s legacy in terms
of “the decay of New Hampshire” (252) and “the disease that afflicted New
Hampshire” (253). The way Hall sets up the atmosphere of New Hampshire gives an
overall “gloomy” or “melancholy” mood to his story. This aids the reader’s comprehension
of his purpose, as commenting on a setting negatively creates a dull outlook on
life in general. I found that Hall accomplished his purpose. As he goes
continues to recall Washington Woodward’s life, it becomes more apparent to the
readers that his isolated and bizarre way of living was fulfilling for
Woodward, a fact that should be admired. Shown by his uncle’s life, Hall is
able to communicate that living to be remembered is less of an accomplishment
than living to be happy.
