Analysis of Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown Essay

"Young Goodman Brown," a story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, should be interpreted on a psychoanalytical level rather than a religious one. It is my observation that "Young Goodman Brown" may very well be the first published work alluding to divisions of the mind and personality theory. Although religion is a direct theme throughout the story, "Young Goodman Brown" appears to be an allegory with deeper meanings.

In Young Goodman Brown one of the most important symbolisms is Faith, Brown’s wife, Faith represents he’s actual faith in god. When Goodman Brown was heading into the forest, he still has her, but as the story unravels it becomes clearer that Faith is not who she seems. Hawthorne makes Faith seem young and innocent when he describes her: "And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap". Brown knew her as someone who he could trust and care for, just like his actual faith in god. As the story goes on, Brown heads into the forest,

Young Goodman Brown's inability to acknowledge, and even embrace Faith's humanity, leads to the climatic loss of his "faith" in the forest. He beholds the pink ribbon that has

The dialogue, action and motivation revolve about the characters in the story (Abrams 32-33). It is the purpose of this essay to demonstrate the types of characters present in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” whether static or dynamic, whether flat or round, and whether protrayed through showing or telling.

Many events led up to him losing his faith and being consumed with self-doubt, but the one that finally pushed Goodman Brown over the edge to call onto the devil was when he could not find his wife Faith. The line “‘But where is Faith?’ thought Goodman Brown; and, as hope came into his heart, he trembled.” shows

He was able to at least blindly acknowledge the new side to Goody Close, and the minister and the Deacon, but with the sight of her pink ribbon "after one stupefied moment" Young Goodman Brown cried "my Faith is gone" (190). On the outside he believes his wife too has fallen into the trap of the devil yet on the inside he has lost his own faith. "There is no good on earth…come, devil; for to thee is this world given" (190). To Goodman Brown his world is now over and with his faith in the world, in his society gone he succumbs to the evilness of the forest.

It is possible to assume that Goodman Brown had placed a majority of his spiritual faith in his wife Faith. Even the story explains that Faith

Faith is all Goodman Brown has known. He had even married a Faith. The double meaning of Faith within this story shows major Irony for us as the readers. Brown marrying a Faith was almost shown as he made the biggest devotion towards God. The main character has put every ounce of Faith he has into his life that would completely give himself to God forever. This is

"Young Goodman Brown" begins when Brown is starting to set out into the woods for a secret meeting. Faith,

Faith plays a major role in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Young Goodman Brown”. From the start of his journey to his arrival back home, Faith is always in the back of head, making him question his surroundings and own thoughts. It’s hard to determine when he’s speaking of his lovely wife Faith or his Faith in his God and religion. Through his many

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story “Young Goodman Brown” portrays the growth of Young Goodman Brown through vivid symbolic setting. “Young Goodman Brown” is an allegory in which the setting is very important to the theme of the story. Throughout the narration, detailed setting and emblematic characters surround Goodman Brown. Goodman Brown is an Everyman character, which could be any one of us, struggling with his Puritan heritage, more specifically his spiritual faith.

Readers never really know the true name of the main character, so they label him as Young Goodman Brown. This is a general name given to an average nice guy, similar to calling a man John Doe. The story’s intent is to make this character represent all of us. Brown seems to be a simple man. He has a wife named Faith that he cares for quite dearly, and he continually refers to her as a

Hawthorne does an awesome job conveying good and evil throughout Young Goodman Brown, by doing this, he is able to hook the reader’s attention quickly by conveying many clever literary techniques throughout story. However, what makes Hawthorne’s use of literary devices so unique is that he uses Puritan characteristics to convey the moral of the story. The moral of the story is to believe in God even when temptation is clear and present. In the story, Goodman Brown is constantly dealing between paths of good and evil. Hawthorne also uses a strong sense of Puritan morality throughout Goodman Brown’s journey, and does a great job using imagery to portray his message. Ultimately Young Goodman Brown is a great story of a man overcoming multiple adverse situations by maintaining his faith. Hawthorne uses a precise and simple style to convey his message.

Goodman Brown Faith who is Young Goodman Brown’s wife is a symbol of Goodman Brown's religion. Goodman Brown always relied on Faith’s name when in trouble. He admire faith and see faith as his strength. In the story Goodman Brown stated “My love and my Faith, of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee”(Hawthorne 1). He is asking Faith for strength and guidance on that special night. However, although Goodman Brown always clings to Faith when he is doubting about the goodness of humanity when he found out that Faith has been corrupted, he quick believing in her.As stated in the story “Moreover, there is a goodly young woman to be taken into communion”(Hawthorne 4). His own Faith let him down by going through the communion

  “Almost all literary theorists since Aristotle have emphasized the importance of structure, conceived in diverse ways, in analyzing a work of literature” (Abrams 300). This essay will explore some interesting points in the structure of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” considering the time-frame, foreshadowing, suspenseful incidents, climax and denouement (Axelrod 337).