Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Dr. Heidegger's Experiment - Coggle Diagram
Dr. Heidegger's Experiment
Themes
Another theme in the story seems to be that of time. How each person's time is limited. And how the 5 people in the story try to challenge time itself. Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his story, talks about trying to reverse time and re-live your life. Unfortunately, the four who are offered this boon/bane, do not learn from their mistakes made in their previous youth.
I feel that a theme of the story is also mystery. From the start, the author keeps us in the dark as to what Dr. Heidegger's study is, the supernatural events, and makes us think about the big existential questions.
The first and foremost theme that we can see in the story is that of Wisdom. Dr. Heidegger is portrayed as an eccentric, but very wise figure. His friends are shown to be foolish and childish, despite their very old age.
Characters
Mr. Gascoigne
Foil and Static Character
He was a ruined politician. A man known for evils, he lost all his fame when the new generation forgot him. He now lived in his own world, where he visualized once again, to be infamous.
Dr. Heidegger
The Protagonist of the story, he is a Developing Character.
Dr. Heidegger is portrayed as a very wise and knowledgeable character, who tries to help his friends. He helps them live a better life, as well as live another one.
Mr. Medbourne
Foil and Static Character
He was a merchant who was very prosperous, but he lost all his wealth and fame in a wild speculation. He was now little better than a beggar.
Colonel Killigrew
Foil and Static Character
He was a man known to have enjoyed sinful pleasures in his day, which led him to diseases such as the gout. He, along with the other 2 gentlemen (excluding Dr. Heidegger), was a lover of Widow Wycherly.
Widow Wycherly
Foil and Static Character
She was a thing of beauty in her day, and she had many suitors. She was apparently involved in some scandalous stories, and hence she grew apart from the world.
Purpose
The purpose of writing this story is of course, entertainment. However, there are some things that are there in the story that give us a lot of lessons.
The first lesson, I feel, is to learn from your mistakes. The characters shown in the story did not learn from their mistakes, and hence they were not worthy of the second chance given to them
Another purpose/lesson of the story is understanding time. It shows us how reversing time is against the laws of nature, and how heavily one pays for their crimes against nature itself.
Literary Devices
Allegory
When a picture, story or symbol depicting something is used in a story.
Used in 'Hippocrates' Bust'. Hippocrates is the Greek God of Medicine, son of Apollo. A doctor takes an oath of his name before starting practice.
Symbolism
Used in instances like 'Father Time', when the author wanted to make an underlying comparison describing the crimes of the group of 4, who wanted their youth back.