Many characters in their novels go through what many people go through on a daily basis. When reading a book, many people want to relate to what is happening. They want to feel like they're not alone. This is more common today than in the 19th century. However, The House of the Seven Gables is a great one to read if someone wants to be able to relate to a character. What makes it even better is that Hawthorne most likely wasn't thinking about how his characters would affect future readers. He was writing a great novel, not just trying to sell