Short Story Analysis: 'Young Goodman Brown' by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hawthorne in essence, portrayed Goodman as proof of the nature of evil in man by showing how easily even a young dedicated Puritan can easily be influenced by a complete stranger. This stranger was symbolically the Devil among men in this text. Hawthorne begins introducing the Devil immediately as trying to sway Goodman to follow him on a long journey. By leaving his wife, Faith to begin the journey, Goodman Brown was symbolically leaving his faith in God and entering a forsaken ground by following the Devil. The fact that Goodman Brown left with no regard for his wife Faith’s warning, symbolized the lack of regard for his own faith in God and his fellow human race. This simple disregard that Goodman Brown showed was evidence of the easily persuaded ability of man to choose sin over good.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" is full of symbolism throughout the story. Perhaps the most interesting examples of symbolism include the title character, Young Goodman Brown, as well as his wife, Faith, and the woods that Young Goodman Brown enters on his journey. Included are many allusions to Christianity and also to evil and sin. These references are expressed mainly through characters and settings in the story.

Nathaniel Hawthorne constructs uncertainty throughout Young Goodman Brown by employing plot, point of view, and symbolism. For instance, the deception in plot occur as Young Goodman Brown traverses the threshold. Brown considers Faith to be pure and virtuous; a wicked act to leave such behind. Moreover, while conversing alongside the traveler Brown presumes the ethics of his ancestry and townspeople to be good due to high Faith in people. Brown’s perception shatters as the traveler discloses the sinful acts of the masses.

to save him, so it won?t matter if he leaves his own at home because it will be waiting for him. Brown meets the devil along a crooked path, and the devil asks why he is late; Brown replies, ?Faith kept me back awhile?(311). The ?faith? Brown has left behind is not just his wife, but also his literal faith to satisfy his burning human curiosity. Brown shows his desire to break loose from his normal life by meeting Satan, the spawn of all rebellion, in the forest. Brown tries to fight the evil inside of him to tell the devil he must go back to his faith, and the devil convinces him that they will walk the crooked path and reason as they go. The devil says, ?and if I convince thee not thou shalt turn back. We are but little in the forest yet?(312). As they venture further into the forest the devil tries to strip Brown of his faith, but he realizes this and stops to exclaim, ?Too far! Too far!?(312). Brown argues the good Christian background of his father and grandfather would never walk upon this crooked path with the devil by their side. The path that Brown is on causes him to gamble with his soul under the promptings of the devil, and he knows he must choose to either roll the dice or turn around and go home. The devil is prepared for such resistance and refutes Brown?s declaration of his ancestors by saying, ?They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path, and returned merrily after

Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of the short story “Young Goodman Brown”, he was an American writer in the 19th century. He was born in Salem village, and he died at the age of 60. His short story about a man named Young Goodman Brown, who lived in Salem village with his wife Faith. They have been married three months. Mr. Goodman Brown has left his wife for one travel night although his wife does not want him to go. He insists on leaving without telling his wife where he is going nor why he is going at night. Then Faith says, “Then God be with you, and may you find all well, when you are back.” So Brown left; he started his journey at night through the dark forest. Mr. Goodman Brown saw many things that caused him to wonder and to fear: scary trees, witches, and a walking staff look that looked like a snake rising up. His determination to leave and experience the dark side turns Brown from a hero to a coward; he is fearful of what might happen if he does not go in to the forest, because he is not confident in his faith, and he is not trusting God anymore, and he take the devil as his guide.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” the devil says, “Evil is the nature of mankind” (“Young” 627). Since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and attempted to hide conceal their sin from God, humans have tried to hide their sin from others. Although everyone sin is human nature, everyone has a different reaction to sin. While some acknowledge sin, others ignore it. In Hawthorne’s other short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Father Hooper wears a black veil to represent the sin he commits every day. In “Young Goodman Brown,” however, the villagers hide their devil-worshipping in the forest. Through “The Minister’s Black Veil” and “Young Goodman Brown,” Hawthorne exemplifies evil’s hidden and human nature and its effect on a person.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s allegory is “Young Goodman Brown.” The setting takes place in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, during the mid-1600s. The protagonist, Young Goodman Brown, ventures into a dark, brooding forest down a path of uncertaincy and fear. In “Young Goodman Brown,” Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbols of black, the serpent’s staff, and the old traveler to convey his theme about evil.

When he meets the devil, He is told that he is late. As if they were supposed to meet. This could be related to people having there certain time to meet "Death" as it were. Mr. Brown does not question there meeting, rather he says that "Faith" held him back. Faith is used again as a symbol. The first being that his wife Faith held him back. The other being that faith in God held him back from going to the Devil.

In addition, the literature uses imagery in that the name Young Goodman Brown is used to indicate the innocence and naivety. On the other hand, the name Goodman is used to illustrate the company of a simple

The Devil tries Brown's faith with tales of his 'friends'. Whether the devil is testing Young Goodman Brown's faith or merely just trying to destroy it is an ambiguous point in the story. As he and the devil start through the forest, the old man begins to tell the stories of Brown's father and grandfather. His father set an Indian village on fire and his grandfather beat a Quaker woman, both with the help of their friend. He passes the news off as merely

In “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hawthorne uses anticipation and mystery to grab the attention of the reader. From the start of the story to the ending, Hawthorne leaves the reader asking the question “What does all of the witchcraft and double-sides lives of the characters have to do with anything? What do they mean?” The reader cannot look at “Young Goodman Brown” as just any suspense short story, but they also have the see the different forms of symbolism. Hawthorne shows the reader that having a strong faith is the greatest asset of any man or woman, but when faith is compromised, the effects can be devastating. It can cause someone to be filled with doubt toward the world.

“Young Goodman Brown” is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and was set during the 17th Century Puritan Era. The story was published in 1835 during the Romantic Era. Nathaniel Hawthorne was known for being the master of symbolism. His novels and short stories have been embedded with suggestion and imagination. The dense symbolism that Hawthorne writes could imply multiple interpretations. “Young Goodman Brown” has quite a few themes and symbols within itself. Faith, Young Goodman Brown, the forest, the old man, the pink ribbons, and the staff are all symbols in the short story.

The short story Young Goodman Brown starts off when “Young Goodman Brown came forth at sunset into the street at Salem village”(1). His journey is said to begin at sunset into a forest, which is odd because it is not the usual time to begin a trip. Also, the Salem village has a double meaning because the Salem village is the place where he lives but also brings to mind the famous witch trials one hundred years ago, while the puritan faith got out of control in this time, Young Goodman Brown is also from the same time which sets the scene for the story. As Brown starts off on his journey into the dark woods symbolizing the unknown, the frightened, and the uncivilized. This makes an assumption that evil is

Brown’s wife and namesake are very obviously symbolic of faith and innocence from evil. The pink ribbons in Faith’s hair serve to further represent her innocence and purity, and when Hawthorne depicts the ribbons falling from the sky in the forest, it is apparent to Brown that even Faith, one of the most pure has succumbed to evil. Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the old man’s serpentine staff to add to the story’s allegory to the Fall of Man in Genesis. Hawthorne depicts the old man as normal, “His head being turned back, he passed a crook of the road, and, looking forward again, beheld the figure of a man, in grave and decent attire, seated at the foot of an old tree.” The only thing that separates the man from obvious Puritan dress his staff, which symbolizes the evil intentions of the old man.

     Throughout the story Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the names of Young Goodman Brown and his wife Faith as symbolic representations. The word ?young? in Goodman Brown?s name gives you the image of an inexperienced, naïve boy who must take on an adventure instead of staying in the comfort of his surroundings. His wife, Faith, tries to stop him by saying, ?Pray thee, put off your journey until sunrise, and sleep in your own bed to-night.? (196) Here you see Faith encouraging Goodman Brown?s quest for knowledge to be done in the light (sunrise) instead traveling through the unknown darkness to gain wisdom. Her fear is made clear through the use of light and dark imagery. The use of the words ?good? and ?man? in Goodman Brown names leaves you to wonder if men are really good. My interpretation is that Goodman Brown is not good at all because he falls into the devil's temptation and excepts the baptism. It proves that even the best of men are subject to imperfection.