The Idea of Youth in "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment"

Introduction

On the surface, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment is a story about several troubled adults who are given the chance to relive their youth and enjoy their former, more beautiful selves. However, the idea of youth in this story goes much deeper. Youth is used as a metaphor to represent psychological growth, recklessness, and human nature. This short story explores the notion that mistakes inherently come with youth, and even if one could go back in time, one would likely make the same errors.

Youth as Psychological Growth

Youth is depicted as a period of psychological growth—a time in life when individuals make mistakes and learn from them. This metaphor is evident in Dr. Heidegger’s choice of participants for his experiment and the idea behind the experiment itself. Dr. Heidegger selects three elderly individuals who have all experienced some scandal or downfall in their lives. His primary motive is to observe whether these troubled people will learn from their past mistakes and correct them. He emphasizes this point when he says, "It would be well that, with the experience of a lifetime to direct you, you should draw up a few general rules for your guidance, in passing a second time through the perils of youth. Think what a sin and shame it would be, if, with your peculiar advantages, you should not become patterns of virtue and wisdom to all the young people of the age" (Hawthorne 241).

In reality, nobody gets the “peculiar advantages” of returning to youth armed with the wisdom of life experience. Hawthorne illustrates that mistakes are an inherent part of youth and that growth comes only through attempting to learn from them.

Recklessness and Poor Decision-Making

Youth is also used as a metaphor to represent recklessness and poor decision-making, as demonstrated by the actions of the three guests when they regain their youthful appearances. Immediately after drinking the water of youth and becoming young again, the three participants begin to mock their elderly selves rather than learn from their past experiences. Furthermore, the two men revert to immature behavior, competing for the attention of the now youthful widow. They fight over who will dance with her, ultimately grappling at each other’s throats. The narrator explains, “But they were young: their burning passions proved them so. Inflamed to madness by the coquetry of the girl-widow” (Hawthorne 244).

Hawthorne uses this to emphasize that with youth often comes impulsiveness and a lack of foresight. Despite having prior knowledge and wisdom, the three participants’ newfound youth causes them to revert to their reckless ways. This symbolizes how youth often fosters a sense of invincibility, where individuals believe there will always be time to fix their mistakes later. Even with a chance to relive their lives, the participants are drawn back into their impulsive behaviors, reinforcing Hawthorne’s idea that youth is intrinsically tied to poor decision-making.

Youth as a Representation of Human Nature

In the story, youth is also a metaphor for human nature itself. This is most evident at the end of the story, when the three guests spill the remaining water of youth while fighting. This clumsy act renders the remaining liquid useless and signifies the unchangeable flaws in human nature. Observing this, Dr. Heidegger concludes his experiment, stating, “For if the fountain gushed at my very doorstep, I would not stoop to bathe my lips in it—no, though its delirium were for years instead of moments. Such is the lesson ye have taught me” (Hawthorne 246).

Dr. Heidegger learns from the experiment that it is human nature to make mistakes and get caught up in the recklessness of youth, and there is no way to avoid this. However, he recognizes the wisdom in moving forward and learning from one’s mistakes rather than chasing after lost youth. Meanwhile, the three guests fail to grasp this lesson and instead spend the rest of their lives searching for the elusive Fountain of Youth, showcasing their inability to grow from their experiences.

Conclusion

In Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment, youth serves as a metaphor for psychological growth, recklessness, and human nature. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story reveals that mistakes are inherently tied to youth and that even with a chance to go back in time, people are likely to repeat the same errors. However, the story also suggests that while youthful mistakes are inevitable, individuals have the choice to learn from them rather than let those mistakes define them. Ultimately, Hawthorne’s tale serves as a reminder of the value of wisdom gained through life’s challenges.

Works Cited

Blaisdell, Bob, ed. The Dover Anthology of American Literature. Vol. 1. Mineola: Dover Publications, 2014. Print. From the Origins through Civil War.