Faith vs. Temptation
Temptation, at one time or another, has touched all of our lives. What made us choose one path over the other? Was it your faith in God, your knowing of what was right and wrong, or was it the influences of the loved ones you not only surround yourself with, but the one you have trusted to lead down the straight and narrow. All of these questions come to light in Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown. Hawthorne's tale is of a young, newly wedded man, and his internal struggle between faith and temptation. Set in Salem, at the times of the witch trials, Young Goodman Brown begins to question his own faith as the devil himself sheds new light on Brown's strong beliefs. "With heaven above, and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the Devil!"... Or will he? Young Goodman Brown prepares to leave on his lonely, life-changing journey, by first saying good bye to his wife of three months. Faith as his wife is called, for symbolic reasons I'm sure, fears for her husband and wishes him to stay. This good bye is Brown's chance to choose faith over temptation. "Poor little faith, thought he, for his heart smote him. What a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand!" Brown gives in to temptation
On this path Goodman Brown also observes his minister, the honorable Deacon Gookin, his catechism teacher, and even his beloved wife. Could it be that the persons that he holds in the highest respects have also chosen the path of temptation? His perceptions and beliefs are once again destroyed. Goodman Brown tries to convince himself he is doing wrong and turn back. "Having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came. I have scruples touching the matter thou wot'st of." The devil tempts Brown in to continuing. "Let us walk on, reasoning as we go; and if I convince thee not thou shalt turn back." Again Brown gives in to temptation. "Too far! Too far! Exclaimed the goodman, unconsciously resuming his walk." Goodman Brown awakens the next morning. Did he actually attend the witch meeting, did he actually convert to devil worship...or was it all a dream. Brown goes into town the next morning. As the devil had torn and shattered Brown's perceptions and beliefs, so has he now created a new picture of life for the young Brown to see. Brown now looks on the towns people, especially the ones he once held in high regards, through untrusting eyes. "The next morning young Goodman Bro
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Approximate Word count = 833
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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