나다니엘 호손의 정보국

"The Intelligence Office"는 Nathaniel Hawthorne이 쓴 단편소설로, 1846년 그의 컬렉션 "Mosses from an Old Manse"의 일부로 처음 출판되었다.
"The Intelligence Office"에서 Hawthorne은 개인이 취업이나 지원을 구하는 사무실을 배경으로 한 이야기다. 불운한 청년 주인공은 취업을 위해 정보국을 찾는다. 그러나 자신의 차례가 오기를 기다리면서, 사무실을 드나드는 암울한 분위기와 절박한 사람들의 모습에 그는 점점 환멸을 느끼게 된다.
이야기가 전개되면서 주인공은 자신의 투쟁과 도시 생활의 가혹한 현실을 되돌아본다. 그는 자신의 불확실한 미래와 앞으로 닥칠 도전에 대해 생각하면서 소외감과 절망감과 씨름하게 된다.
"정보국"은 성찰적인 깊이, 풍부한 상징, 도덕적 모호함이 특징인 호손 산문의 특징이다. 이 이야기는 인간의 상태와 도시 생활의 가혹한 현실에 대한 가슴 아픈 논평을 제공하는 동시에 희망, 회복력, 불확실성으로 가득 찬 세상에서의 의미 탐색이라는 주제를 다루고 있다.

<Classics to read in English_ The Intelligence Office by Nathaniel Hawthorne >
"The Intelligence Office" is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in 1846 as part of his collection "Mosses from an Old Manse".
In "The Intelligence Office," Hawthorne's story is set in an office where individuals seek employment or assistance. The protagonist, an unlucky young man, visits the intelligence agency for employment. But as he waits for his turn to come, he becomes increasingly disillusioned with the gloomy atmosphere and the sight of desperate people coming in and out of his office.
As his story unfolds, the protagonist reflects on his struggles and the harsh realities of city life. He comes to wrestle with feelings of alienation and despair as he thinks about his uncertain future and the challenges that lie ahead of him.
“Intelligence” is characteristic of Hawthorne’s prose, characterized by its reflective depth, rich symbolism, and moral ambiguity. The story offers a poignant commentary on the human condition and the harsh realities of urban life, while also touching on themes of hope, resilience, and the search for meaning in a world filled with uncertainty.

Summary
Grave figure, with a pair of mysterious spectacles on his nose and a pen behind his ear, was seated at a desk in the corner of a metropolitan office. The apartment was fitted up with a counter, and furnished with an oaken cabinet and a Chair or two, in simple and business-like style. Around the walls were stuck advertisements of articles lost, or articles wanted, or articles to be disposed of; in one or another of which classes were comprehended nearly all the Conveniences, or otherwise, that the imagination of man has contrived.