symbolism and the unconscious in Young goodman brown

A detailed Summary of symbolism and the unconscious in Young goodman brown

Symbolism and the Unconscious in "Young Goodman Brown"

Nathaniel Hawthorne's work is typically fraught with symbolism, much of it deriving from his puritan ancestry. Not surprisingly, Hawthorne was obsessed with the themes of sin and guilt. John Roth notes that "A number of recurring thematic patterns and character types appear in Hawthorne's novels and tales" (Roth 76). Because he is speaking of what we would later come to call the unconscious, Hawthorne extensively employed the use of symbolism, which bypasses the conscious to tap into its more dream- like process below (Roth 76).

In his short story "Young Goodman Brown," the main character Goodman Brown goes off into the woods and undergoes what will be a life changing experience. "Young Goodman Brown," was written in the nineteenth century but is undoubtedly set in the seventeenth century, and for the early Americans in this time period the forest was a symbol of the test of strength, courage, and endurance. It took a lot of courage to survive there, and the young person entering the forest would not emerge the same. But the story is more symbolic than realistic, and the dangers that Goodman Brown encounters in the forest

are not Indians or bears; they are dangers of the spirit.

It should not go unrecognized that Goodman Brown's wife, a light hearted, genuine woman, has the name Faith. Faith is not by any means an unusual name for a woman, especially in puritan times, but it becomes significant in the story because she is presented to us first as a very young bride with pink ribbons in her hair, almost like a child. Her pink ribbons symbolize her youth, and her name symbolizes her husband's childlike spirituality at the beginning of the story.

Having read the entire story, it can be interpreted on two levels. Goodman Brown may feel, as he says that the exploration of the inner forest may be a sin. It is easier by far to follow the "accepted" path of faith, to walk, as the church often says, "in the light" (Hawthorne 110). By walking in the light, and by following precisely the doctrine of Christian life and avoiding all situations where morality does not separate itself into clear areas of black and white, one feels safe, clean, and perhaps virtuous. By doing this, one also misses out on the depth, and the richness that a fuller experience of life might offer. But it is unquestionably an easier path.

Goodman Brown also seems to know whom he is going to meet there, because when he meets the man with the snake-like staff, he is startled by the "sudden appearance of his companion" who was nonetheless "not totally expected" (Hawthorne, 109). Snakes of course signify the devil, and if this individual was not the devil himself, he is certainly a representative of him. His staff is later described as twisted as well.

But we are left to wonder what his errand is. Hawhtorne never tells us, but clearly Goodman Brown has planned for wha

Some common words found in the essay are:
Goodman Brown, Faith Faith, John Roth, Brown's Journey, Bruno Betelheim, goodman brown, Nathaniel Hawthorne's, QD Observes, Goodman Brown's, Brown Instead, , hawthorne 108, pink ribbons, roth 76, errand hawthorne, goodman brown's, hawthorne 110, snake-like staff, errand hawthorne 108,

Approximate Word count = 1173
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English