could die tomorrow of a heart attack or a railroad accident or by choking on a piece of candy. We try to make ourselves safe—by exercising every day, or walking everywhere, or chewing slowly—but we can never safeguard ourselves against all danger. Thefamily's place of refuge, then, becomes an ironic symbol of our sometimes-vain preparations for the future. When the family hears the mountain crumbling, they run to the spot they believe to be safe; however, "they had quitted their security, and fled right into the pathway of destruction." We are limited in knowledge and in years because we are mortal, and we never know when our end will come; we cannot prepare for every eventuality, and the family's home and so-called place of refuge are symbols of this fact.

The short story "The Ambitious Guest" by Nathaniel Hawthorne tells of a young man's visit to a family-owned tavern on a remote pass in the White Hills of New England. It's a cold and windy night, and as the young man sits with the family, he tells them of his ambition to achieve his destiny and do something that will make him famous. This prompts others to share their hopes and dreams for the future. Ultimately, however, a rockslide comes down from the mountain, killing them all and burying them along with their aspirations.

There are numerous examples of symbolism in this story. For instance, the fire in the hearth symbolizes the warmth, unity, and security of the family circle. When the young man arrives, although he is a stranger, he is instantly drawn in to this intimacy. Later, when the mood of the story has gone momentarily dark, they put more fuel on the fire to cheer things up.

The tavern represents the circle of family warmth that can be extended to travelers as they rest from their journeys.

The wind outside at first symbolizes the coldness, indifference, dread, and uncertainty of nature. It is described as "a sound of wailing and lamentation" and a "dreary blast." Later, the wind takes on a dark, foreboding, and spiritual aspect "like a choral strain of the spirits of the past."

Just after the stranger arrives, a single stone falls from the mountain. This symbolizes the ever-present danger that lies above them and the uncertainties of existence.

The rockslide at the end that kills them all represents the destinies that all humans have that mark the moments of their inevitable deaths. This puts an end to all ambitions.

Finally, the ambitious guest is a symbol of the human spirit, which looks beyond present circumstances towards the hope of a better future. Hawthorne focuses on this young man in the final paragraph, calling his existence into question and emphasizing the lack of fulfillment of his ambitions.

There are quite a few symbols in this short story. First, the family, mountain folk, live in the Notch, on a rock face. The mountain and the rock, at the close of the story, are symbolic not only of the power of nature, but also become, ironically, the monument, the grave, and the headstones for the entire family and the Ambitious Guest. The eldest daughter is named Happiness and the old grandmother is Happiness grown old, symbolic of the simplicity and peace present in the house and the women folk prior to the ambitious wishes brought on by the guest. A heavy footstep is heard outside the door, symbolic of Death that will shortly beckon all those within the house. The fire, fed with heart's ease, metaphorically, is the only place the family is safe and comforted, yet the family flees when The Slide arrives.

Literally, the slide is the falling rock which will take them to their death. Metaphorically (symbolically), The Slide is their slide from grace, from their peaceful existence to one of hopes and grandeur that could only lead to their spiritual downfall as they are simple, content folk unlike their guest. Ironically the young, refined and educated guest gets what he wishes for - a monument over him at his demise.

Yet, paradoxically, when the Ambitious Guest says, "Then let Death come! I shall have built my monument," he does not realize death is so near nor will he ever be remembered or even known for the accomplishments he wishes to achieve!

Most of the details in Hawthorne's stories have symbolic significance, and "The Ambitious Guest" is no exception. Here are some of the symbols in Hawthorne's narrative:

• the cottage - Symbolic of shelter and warmth and felicity, the young traveler feels warmed by the hospitality of the family that welcomes him.
• the fire - Also a symbol of warmth, the fire ignites the spirit of the traveler, who shares his dreams and ambitions with the family. Thus, the fire represents ambition, as well.
• the spirit of the "wayfarer" - His proclamations of his yearning desires evoke the hidden desires of the family members:

...by his natural felicity of manner, to have placed himself on a footing of kindness with the whole family, so that they talked as freely together as if he belonged to their mountain brood.

In his presence, they, then, speak of their secret ambitions that have long lain dormant.

• the vast rock slide - Symbolic of the irony of fate in its sudden turn away from the cottage which kills everyone from the cozy dwelling, the rock slide represents fate and unexpectedness of death.  It also ironically becomes "the monument" for which the "ambitious guest" has yearned. 
• the "monument" - Representative of the youth's desire for fame, it instead becomes an unknown marker for his burial.