When the devil is on your doorstep, however, thanks takes on a different timbre. The American most consistently preoccupied with thoughts of Satan was probably Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne never trusted in the good times. He saw the devil lurking in every moment of pleasure, waiting for the chance to pounce on the unsuspecting reveler when his guard was down. Hawthorne's story, "John Inglefield's Thanksgiving," is appropriately evil-obsessed. Utterly bleak, it is a difficult fit in the traditional American story of goods asked for, goods delivered, thanks given.

Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4, 1804—May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. Much of Hawthorne's writing centers on New England, many works featuring moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic Movement and, more specifically, dark romanticism. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity, and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity. His published works include novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend Franklin Pierce. His short story collections include Twice-Told Tales and Mosses from an Old Manse. His novels include The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. It has become one of the classics in the world's literature.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's reputation as a writer is a very pleasing fact, because his writing is not good for anything, and this is a tribute to the man.—Ralph Waldo Emerson

The fine thing in Hawthorne is that he cared for the deeper psychology, and that, in his way, he tried to become familiar with it.—Henry James

The style of Hawthorne is purity itself. His tone is singularly effective—wild, plaintive, thoughtful, and in full accordance with his themes... We look upon him as one of the few men of indisputable genius to whom our country has as yet given birth.—Edgar Allan Poe