Throughout Young Goodman Brown, the themes of sin and guilt constantly reoccur. Hawthorne used events in his life as a base for the stories that he wrote. Hawthorne felt that ones guilt does not die with him/her but is rather passed down through the generations. Hawthorne's great-great uncle was one of the judges during the Salem witchcraft trials. Hawthorne felt a great sense of guilt because of this. Hawthorne used a great deal of symbolism to depict what would come to be known as the subconscious. He used symbolism to speak of a dreamlike process. Hawthorne used the characters and the events of the story to create a double meaning. Symbolism was used to show the effects of the events on the characters rather than lying in the events alone. He is not only there to explore his own sinfulled character but to also right the wrongs of his father, his grandfather, his church community, and his wife.
In the beginning of this story, one expects for the characters to follow what that they represent. This story displays one man's journey to leave his home and comfort zone in order to fully explore his curiosity. He goes off into a forest at night and stumbles upon a life changing experience while there. He encounters three different things that set him on the path to the journey of knowledge. This forest was symbolic of an assessment of strength, bravery, and survival. It took determination to survive in the forest and the young person entering into it would not emerge the same. This story is more of a vision or conscious daydream . Many symbols, some that have religious meaning, help Young Goodman Brown toward defeating the devils urges. This unexpectedly causes Young Goodman Brown to distrust things due to his unexpected decision of occurrence a having gone through either a dream or reality. The characters in this story were often personifications of faith, greed, and evil. The characters names such as "Goodman," "Faith," and "Gookin" are symbolic of religion and are at opposing ends of evil in the story.
On the day of their wedding, Faith, Goodman Brown's wife was wearing pink ribbons in her hair. This was very symbolic of her being childlike and young. Also, everything that has to do with her is about her doubting herself and her relationship with Young Goodman Brown. It was important for Hawthorne to show the youth in the two characters. It was another religious reference. In the bible it states "Who ever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not receive it at all." (Hawthorne, 635) This means that it is important to be like a child and be content without knowing everything else that is out there. It also means that if one is on a quest for knowledge then he/she does not leave room for someone else to be higher than he/she to be all knowing. It is very meaningful that many of the events of this story take place in a forest. Forests have a rich tradition in our literature. As an alternative of fearlessly encountering the evils that were in the forest and returning a more adult person, Goodman Brown is damage by this and "dies" at the end of the story.
When Young Goodman Brown leaves his home and all of the things that comfort him he meets three people. The first person that he meets is a man carrying a stick. This is figurative of the one in the bible and is symbolic of the one in the Adam and Eve story. The second person that he met was the devil. In the face of the devil, Goodman Brown was able to see himself. The third person he saw on this path was a Deacon. Once in the forest, Young Goodman Brown was no more. Hawthorne used the word "young" to show his innocence and vulnerability before going into the forest. Goodman Brown was not able to have faith because his religious leader and wife did not have faith. Goodman Brown took this journey because he wanted to know what else was surrounding him aside form his religion. He also wanted to uncover meaning about his blind faithfulness and wanted to come to terms with carrying the burdens of his ancestors.
Another biblical reference is displayed; "the path to righteousness is narrow." He kept traveling and having to continuously make the decision not to turn back. He wanted to know what else was out there. Goodman Brown was no longer "young" and was "still rushing onward with the instinct that guides mortal man to evil." In this context, young is associated with being nave, childlike, and having lack of knowledge. Faith and knowledge are opposed to each other. Goodman Brown chose knowledge. So did his wife and others in his religion. It meant that they must reject faith because the two cannot be one.
Even though "the whole forest was peopled with frightful sounds- the creaking of the trees, the howling of wild beasts, and the yell of Indians," (Hawthorne, 636) Goodman Brown was not able to turn back, he had to keep going in order to prove to himself and his linage that there was something else to be believed rather than the simplistic life of the Puritans.
In closing,It cannot be clearly known what Young Goodman Brown has done while entering the forest. He knows why he is going, but he is in no way prepared for what he will find there. He is not only there to explore his own sinful character but to also right the wrongs of his father, his grandfather, his church community, and his wife. He surfaces from his experience completely changed. Goodman Brown was unable to take that experience and realize that everyone had the same curiosity that he had and needed to explore what else was in the world. Since he was able to do so, he gave up on all mankind saying that "Evil is in the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness." (Hawthorne) Instead of learning that everyone is only human and is a sinner and roots from evil. Young Goodman Brown realized that every man is bad and used his life changing experience for bad.
Already have an account? Log In Now
3063