Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Short Story, ‘The Sister-Years’

"Two Sisters," 1901, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Public Domain

In his short story “The Sister-Years,” Nathaniel Hawthorne contemplates the perennial exchange of one year for the next. He presents the conversation between two sister years as Old Year is replaced by New Year. While Old Year drags herself towards her last days, New Year steps into the world with light, joyful, and hopeful steps.

New Year’s Eve

It’s New Year’s Eve and the weary Old Year sets herself down on the steps of the new Salem, Massachusetts city hall. Upon sitting, she places a bandbox beside her and a folio book on her lap. The Old Year rests for a few moments, looking weary and “taking no very pleasant retrospect of her past existence.”

While waiting for her time on earth to culminate, the Old Year sees a youthful girl with “a smiling cheerfulness.” Unlike Old Year’s weather-beaten and used clothing, the young maiden’s outfit is “rather too airy for the season, and [is] bedizened with fluttering ribbons and other vanities.”

Very much like the old and new year: A portrait of Princess Rospigliosi and Baroness Baude, 1863, by Ludwig Passini. Public Domain

This maiden, who is the New Year, carries a single basket, skips over to the Old Year, and greets her sister cheerily. The New Year then sits down with her basket next to her sister. “‘Well, my dear sister,’ said the New Year, after the first salutations, ‘you look almost tired to death. What have you been about during your sojourn in this part of infinite space?’”

The weary Old Year responds that everything that has transpired has been written in her chronicle, adding that the mundane events she wrote about wouldn’t be entertaining to her cheerful sister. Nevertheless, Old Year opens her chronicle to read out some of the events. She tells the New Year of her politics, and then turns to her success in Salem.

After chattering on for a good while, the Old Year stands up and prepares to leave. But the New Year detains her by asking what her bandbox and folio book are for. The dreary Old Year informs her that the years rarely take anything worth having away with them, and that these articles will be left in the past and forgotten. She warns her young sister that such are the sorrows and troubles that she is destined to experience.

A New Year

Yet the New Year persists in hope, exclaiming: “I shall try to leave men wiser than I find them. I will offer them freely whatever good gifts Providence permits me to distribute.”

With a few final words, the Old Year fades into the past and the New Year steps out into her new life.

"Two Sisters," 1901, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Public Domain

Through this story, Hawthorne demonstrates the need for gratitude for the year that has passed, as well as hope for the year to come. His story bids us to go forth with joy, despite the hardships of the year before.

Hawthorne encourages us, just as Shel Silverstein says: “Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me ... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

Resolutions of the past year are no doubt worn and musty, but the New Year offers the scent of a fresh fragrance to welcome new opportunities. The flowers she gives out may be pressed to the heart or trampled underfoot. It’s a personal choice to hold out hope for the good things that may come about, or dwell about things that can never be.

As we cross the threshold into a new year, with a thankful heart, let us bid the old year goodbye, mindful of all the blessings and lessons which it taught us. Let us then look to the new year with renewed hope, love, and a determination to grow.

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