Doctor Heidegger's Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne Analysis Essay

In “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dr. Heidegger invites four “venerable” people to participate in his experiment. People who drink the water from the Fountain of Youth are said to become younger. He had a vase full of water from the Fountain of Youth, and he requested them to make rules before drinking it in order to avoid repeating their previous mistakes. They agreed that they would not repeat the same mistakes, but as they grew older, they couldn't help themselves. In the short story by Hawthorne it is clear that even if given a second chance, people won’t change.

The character Dr. Heidegger shows that the venerable people being experimented on didn’t learn from their mistakes. This is evident when he observes their actions and says  "But the doctor's four friends had taught no such lesson to themselves." My evidence proves my theme because the others were given a second chance, but they got carried away and committed the same mistakes again, prompting Dr. Heidegger to refuse the drink from the Fountain of Youth because he knows what it could lead to.

The symbol of the water shows the effects of what can happen when given a second opportunity. For example, Widow Wycherly let the three men fight over her again when she recognized she was lovely and young again. She used to let men fight over her when she was younger. They were able to come up with the same solution as they had when they were younger, despite Dr. Heidegger's suggestion that they create specific rules ahead of time to ensure they didn't make the same mistakes.

Ultimately, even if people are given a second chance, they will not change. Dr. Heidegger discovers that if he had just drunk a glass of water, he would have behaved similarly to them. He learned from them since he could see everything unfold in front of his eyes and didn't care that the magical water had spilled. People do not change, as revealed by the magic water.