Young Goodman Brown- theme

A detailed Summary of Young Goodman Brown- theme

I n the story "Young Goodman Brown", Nathaniel Hawthorne reveals a inner conflict of a man's faith in religion and knowledge of mankind's indiscretions with sin. The story takes place in the 17th century in Salem, Massachusetts towards the end of the puritan era.

Hawthorne uses allegories and other symbols to help emphasis the story's theme. The main character Goodman Brown symbolizes an everyday good man. His wife named Faith symbolizes Goodman Brown's faith in his religion. Faith is described as wearing a pink ribbon representing innocents and purity. The characters Goody Cloyse, the minister and Deacon Gookin are important symbolically because not only are these people that Goodman Brown looks up to for guidance in his spiritual journey of his Puritan faith but to Goodman Brown they also represent people who he believes to possess complete faith and the inability to be swayed by the devil. . Hawthorne uses some history of the Puritan faith to help the reader to have a better understanding of the story. The Puritans believed that the forest at night was evil and that those who enter must be also be evil. The story begins with Goodman Brown saying goodbye to his Faith (wife). "My love and my Faith, of all nights in the year,

Goodman Brown overhears the Deacon Gookin speaking to the minister "They tell me that some of our community are to be here from Falmouth and beyond, and others form Connecticut and Rhode Island, besides several of the Indian powwows, who, after their fashion, know almost as much deviltry as the best of us. Moreover, there is a goodly young woman to be taken into communion." After hearing this, Goodman Brown feels faint and overburdened with the heavy sickness of his heart. Goodman Brown is beginning to lose his faith in mankind and believes that if these so called good men cannot keep evil at bay then what hope is there. When Goodman Brown reaches the communion he hears a familiar voice it is the voice of his sweet faith. Though he cannot see her he begins to call out "Faith!" but there is no answer. Goodman Brown retrieves a pink ribbon from a branch and says "My Faith is gone!" says Goodman Brown "There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name, come, devil; for to thee is this world given." Goodman Brown is completely distraught, he feels that if his Faith cannot withstand the temptations of sin then evil has won. "Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again, my children, to the communion of your race.", says the dark figure to the communion.

After that night Goodman Brown was changed forever. He became a sad and distrustful man who could not look at people in his community without contempt. Hawthorne slips the idea that perhaps Goodman Brown was dreaming of that awful night in the woods. To Goodman Brown this fact doesn't matter, it i

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1068
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English