The Symbolism of Young Goodman Brown

A detailed Summary of The Symbolism of Young Goodman Brown

"The Symbolism of Young Goodman Brown"

Nathaniel Hawthorne is a nineteenth-century American writer of the Romantic Movement. Hawthorne was born is Salem, Massachusetts, and this is the place he used as the setting for some of his works: such as "The Scarlett Letter", "the Blithedale Romance" and "Young Goodman Brown". In writing, Hawthorne was known for his use of allegory and symbolism, which made his stories a joy for everyone to read. Hawthorne was said to be the first American writer who was conscious of the failure of modern man to realize his full capacity for moral growth. His stories contain much about the life he knew as a child being brought up in a Puritan society. As Hawthorne's writing continued it was filled with the same amount of sin and evil as his first writings. Evil that was revealed through his works.

"Young Goodman Brown" was said to be one of the best stories ever written by Hawthorne (Adams70). "The Marble Faun: and "the Scarlett Letter were some of the other stories written by Hawthorne, and they were said to be "Young Goodman Brown" grown older. In this selection there is a question of maturity for Goodman Brown and whether he is good or evil. There is also a transition from childishness

Young Goodman Brown is the main character and the protagonist, and Faith Brown, his wife is said to be one of the antagonists in this selection. Young Goodman Brown is a husband of three months and is still said to be immature. Brown symbolizes immaturity, goodness, and everyman. He is a very religious person, happy in his marriage, trustworthy and naive. "Young Goodman Brown is stern, sad, darkly meditative, distrustful if not a desperate man (Adams 72)." Brown is said to be naive because he goes into this evil forest even though his wife warned him of the danger that he was about to encounter. Brown, actually is every man, whether young or old our parents in some way try to protect us form danger and that's just what his mother's ghost was trying to do, but as we all know our fathers pushes us on even if we are going to make a mistake and that's just what his father's ghost did. This forest represents evil and destruction. There is always an association between forests and evil because of its dark and gloomy nature. That is why the witch meetings were held in the midst of it.

Faith was another character in the story; she was the wife of Young Goodman Brown. This young woman is filled with sin yet she is said to be Godly. Because Faith was so honest and Godly, Young Goodman Brown put all of his faith in her, which made heroin of his worst enemies. Faith is said to be a good wife pure and poisonous, a saint and sinner and a pretty pink ribbon-wearing woman. Hoffman writes that Faith is the forest. They both are considered to be evil (Levy 121). Faith's ribbon is a description of her personality or her inner-self. The pink ribbon that Faith wears is a symbol of sin and purities. Faith's ribbon is found in the evil forest and that's when Faith is really seen as an unclear person. Faith is also said to have committed adultery not only against Young Goodman Brown but also against God because she gave in to the likes of the devil. The ribbons provide a continuity between faith as an ideal of religious fidelity and as partner in a witches Sabbath. (Levy 122).

to adolescence to maturity. This short story in particular has a feeling of adultery, betrayal, and deception as in some of his other works. It was said by Richard P. Adams that "young Goodman Brown" was a germ for nearly all his best work that followed (Adams 71). The use of symbolism in "young Goodman Brown" shows that evil is everywhere,

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Approximate Word count = 1643
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English