they were cousins
The girl who came to live at the House of the Seven Gables, Phoebe Pyncheon, was Hepzibah's cousin. Phoebe was the daughter of a different branch of the Pyncheon family and arrived to help Hepzibah with running the house.
cooking breakfast in the kitchen
Phoebe Pyncheon
she suspected he was practicing black magic
cooking breakfast in the kitchen
Phoebe noticed a striking resemblance between Hepzibah and the Pyncheon hens, viewing Hepzibah as embodying the same qualities of the hens—both were somewhat neglected and lived in a state of decline. She perceived Hepzibah's physical appearance and demeanor as mirroring the worn-out, dowdy aspects of the hens, suggesting a sense of shared fate and a connection to the Pyncheon family's legacy. This comparison highlights themes of decay and the burdens of heritage in Hawthorne's narrative.
He was Hepzibah's cousin
Phoebe Pyncheon came to live at the House of the Seven Gables with Hepzibah Pyncheon. She is a distant relative of Hepzibah and brings a sense of youthful energy and optimism to the gloomy household.
He is his father.
He is his father.
Phoebe became upset with Jaffrey Pyncheon in "The House of the Seven Gables" when she witnessed him attempting to force Hepzibah to reveal the whereabouts of the missing property deed by threatening her with the law. This manipulation and mistreatment of her cousin upset Phoebe, displaying Jaffrey's ruthless and cruel nature.
They are step brothers.