"The House of the Seven Gables" is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1851. The story revolves around a mysterious, old mansion in Salem, Massachusetts, which is home to the Pyncheon family. The house symbolizes the family's dark history, including themes of guilt, revenge, and the impact of the past on the present. The plot follows Hepzibah Pyncheon, a descendant of the family, as she struggles to maintain the house and her family's legacy. The arrival of Phoebe, her lively cousin, brings hope and change, while the ghostly presence of Judge Pyncheon adds to the story's eerie atmosphere.