Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown – Poverty in the Tale and Author’s Life

Hawthorne’s life as a surveyor for the Salem Custom House lined up pretty well with the introduction that he wrote. ““A writer of story-books! What kind of a business in

Herman Melville in “Hawthorne and His Mosses” (in Literary World, August 17, 24, 1850) comments on how the writer is seen by others: “But it is the least part of genius that attracts admiration. Where Hawthorne is known, he seems to be deemed a pleasant writer, with a pleasant style,--a

According to A.N. Kaul in his Introduction to  Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, the themes of isolation and alienation were ones which Hawthorne was “deeply preoccupied with” in his writings (2). Hawthorne’s personal isolation from people from 1825 to 1837 was probably due to his lifelong shyness

Grandfather’s Chair (1841), a children’s book of New England history through the Revolutionary War, sold  a million copies, but Hawthorne received only a hundred dollars - for the mansucript he wrote. Again he needed to supplement his writing income. In 1846, President Polk signed Hawthorne’s appointment to the customhouse at Salem with a salary of $1200 a year (Swisher 21).

Peter Conn in “Finding a Voice in an New Nation” makes a statement regarding Hawthorne’s ambiguity:

The introduction of their first youngster, Una, made Hawthorne at the end of the day look for a fiscally secure occupation. With the assistance of his old companions, Hawthorne was selected a surveyor for the port of Salem. His child, Julian, was conceived in 1846. Despite the fact that the new occupation facilitated the budgetary issues for the family, Hawthorne again discovered little time to seek after his written work. By the by, amid this time, he was at that point shaping thoughts for a novel in view of his Puritan family line and presented by a prelude about the Custom House where he worked. At the point when the Whigs won the 1848 race, Hawthorne lost his position. It was a money related stun to the family, however it serendipitously furnished him with time to compose The Scarlet

In stark comparison to his ancestors, his life was relatively normal; he was married with children and spent his days doing what he loved the most, writing. Hawthorne would often draw from his own personal understandings or beliefs, just as he did when he wrote “but the past was not dead” in “The Custom House”. It was evident that Hawthorne’s Puritan past was alive within him, and even after his death in 1864; it continued to live on forever in the pages of his books.

“Young Goodman Brown”, like most Nathaniel Hawthorne stories, is littered with themes from beginning to end. These themes aim to show the troubles of our society and in human nature. The particular tale of “Young Goodman Brown” had multiple themes such as the inevitable loss of innocence, symbolism, and weakness in public morality. The inevitable loss of innocence is constant throughout the story.

     Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” captivates the reader through a glimpse of the Puritan church. The story also shows the struggle of good versus evil in the main character Goodman Brown. The role of the Puritan church is crucial in shaping Goodman Brown’s personality and helping the reader understand why he was reluctant to continue his journey.

Nathaniel Hawthorne was a well known American writer, He is still being spoke of today over 200 years after his death. Many people praised him for his writing including, Edgar Allan Poe Praising “Twice-Told Tales”(Liukkonen, Petri). His life was calm for most of his life and, he was very focused on ensuring his family’s financial security.

Hawthorne's work is deeply rooted in Puritanism. Where Puritans established theocracy making church the sole decision maker and central body governing religion, society, politics and every other aspect of life, they took away the right to have conflicting beliefs and everyone who had a different belief was considered as a sinner. This lack of tolerance to diversity

Hawthorne’s work takes America’s Puritan past as its subject, but The Scarlet Letter uses the material to the greatest effect. The Puritans were

In the short story “Young Goodman Brown,” Nathaniel Hawthorne presents several different literary devices such as: imagery, symbolism, and allegory to artistically and elegantly contribute to the story’s main theme. Hawthorne uses these devices to display his themes and ideas regarding the twisted dark path of evil and the inner fears of a man who treads the unknown path of temptation and curiosity. Hawthorne creates depth within the story, characters, and the setting by allowing them to be viewed differently than who they are and what their title holds. Hawthorne applies comprehensible religious ideas in order for people to perceive his theme

In 1844, their first child was born. His work wasn’t providing a dependable income, so for a while he worked for the Boston Custom House evaluating and measuring salt and coal. With the bills increasing and a growing family, Hawthorne decided to move his family to Salem. A Democrat, who had political connections, helped him get a job, as evaluator of the Salem Custom House in 1846. This gave his family the much-needed financial stability. However, Nathaniel Hawthorne lost what he chose to political favoritism when Whig President Zachary Taylor was elected. This notice revolved into an agreement that gave him some time to compose his masterpiece, now known as The Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter is a story of two people that love each other who couldn’t help but to keep arguing with one another over the honorable Puritan law. This book was one of the first publications in the United States as it was scattered all over making Hawthorne extremely recognized. Not very pleased with living in Salem, Nathaniel Hawthorne decided to move his family to Red House in Lenox,

   This essay will examine the main physical settings within Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, “Young Goodman Brown.” These are four in number and begin and end in the village of Salem.