"The House of the Seven Gables" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classic of American literature that explores the themes of guilt, inheritance, and the legacy of the past. Set in a gloomy, old mansion in the fictional town of Salem, Massachusetts, the novel tells the story of the Pyncheon family and the curse that haunts them. At the center of the story is the House of the Seven Gables, a sprawling, decrepit mansion that has been passed down from generation to generation of the Pyncheon family. The house is said to be cursed, and the Pyncheons are plagued by a history of tragedy and misfortune, including the death of one of their ancestors who was accused of witchcraft.