Hawthorn’s short stories about puritanism are very well written and interesting to read.  Hawthorn’s overall attitude toward the puritans is one of sympathetic criticism. When compared to William Bradford they seem to be slightly similar.

In his story “Young Good Man Brown” , Hawthorn makes the point that puritans are really unsure about their faith. The question, “Who can tell if your friend is a Christian or not?” ultimately destroys Good Man Brown. Hawthorn views the Puritans as strong believers in their faith who work hard to justify that they are going to heaven.  Since God has already chosen those who will go to heaven, how do the Puritans truly know if they are among the chosen?

In the “May-Pole at Merry Mount”, Hawthorn implies that the Puritans are filled with only sadness.  They can not break away from this sad way of life or else they would feel like they were sinning and not able to go to heaven. Hawthorn contrasts the Puritans to the Pagans, for the Pagans can not have sadness for it is high treason to do so. Hawthorn is showing that while the Pagans are one extreme, the Puritan are the other extreme.

William Bradford accounts the events of the Puritans in Plymouth in his journal. According to him the Puritans rely on God to pull them through, while they follow their very strict and faithful laws. They believe that faith will get you to heaven but that it must be accompanied by hard work so they make strict laws that must be followed. Bradford points out that they are nice people, for they helped the sailors when they got sick. The Puritans had the first thanksgiving which was probably fun, but fun was not a way of life for time.  Their days and lives were hard and they faced must adversity. Which compared to Hawthorn’s accounts of the Puritans might explain why he comes so close to their way of life.

Hawthorn writes what he feels is the Puritan’s way, but Bradford writes from actually being there and seeing it first hand. This is why Bradford’s account is more accurate, but Hawthorn’s is not far off.