Young Goodman Brown is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It was first published in 1835. The theme of Young Goodman Brown is about recognizing evil and good, not just on the surface of things, but within the hearts of people. Young Goodman Brown’s journey into the forest represents his descent into darkness and his departure from society’s values and norms. Young Goodman Brown is a complex protagonist who, though tempted to join the devil and his coven of witches, resists.
Young Goodman Brown makes this decision despite what he sees as proof that the infamous Goody Cloyse has indeed become one of Satan’s followers. Young Goodman Brown is able to resist temptation because he believes his wife Faith (a symbol of religiously inspired goodness) will remain true even if Young Goodman Brown fails in his own quest for virtue. Young Goodman Brown learns that sinful acts are not always evil deeds. For example, Young Goodman Brown realizes that by sleeping with the devil’s concubine rather than with Faith, Young Goodman Brown has actually committed an evil act.
The Young Goodman Brown symbolism of good and evil is not as simple or straightforward as Young Goodman Brown first assumes it will be. Young Goodman Brown becomes disillusioned upon learning that even the virtuous and presumably godly Faith has fallen victim to temptation by joining a witch’s coven. Young Goodman Brown, however, decides to remain true to his wife despite his belief that she has become a sinner. Young Goodman Brown realizes that sin lies within people’s hearts rather than in their outward actions.
It also symbolizes how some people may think they’re doing good when really they’re just as bad as everyone else. This story can tell us more about society during this time period because it had such strong religious morals which were then tested. Young Goodman Brown’s story can also show us that Young Goodman Brown can love Young Goodman Brown not based on Young Goodman Brown’s appearance but based on Young Goodman Brown’s deep soul and Young Goodman Brown’s inner self.
Young Goodman Brown is about a man who goes into the woods late at night, where he finds Lucifer and some other characters waiting for him. His discovery has wide-reaching consequences on Young Goodman Brown, his journey home, and beyond. Young Goodman Brown’s journey through the forest is representative of Young Goodman Brown’s descent into sin. When Young Goodman Brown reaches the edge of the forest, there are few who know him; further in, Satan knows Young Goodman Brown quite well (Hawthorne 638).
Young Goodman Brown begins to question why so many in the forest know him when no one in his village does, but Young Goodman Brown’s pride prevents him from stopping to speak with them. Young Goodman Brown encounters two men he thinks are “of [his] own ranks” (Hawthorne 638). Young Goodman Brown asks what they are doing there, and they tell Young Goodman Brown that “there was a wedding in the village” (Hawthorne 639). Young Goodman Brown says nothing and continues on. Young Goodman Brown is surprised by a cloaked man who asks where Young Goodman Brown is going.
Young Goodman Brown tells this stranger that he sees evil everywhere, even in his wife Goody Cloyse. The stranger asks if Young Goodman Brown has ever seen anything good (Hawthorne 640). Young Goodman Brown thinks of his wife and children, but then decides that there must be evil inside them as well. Young Goodman Brown is determined to continue on and not stop for anyone (Hawthorne 641). Young Goodman Brown reaches a clearing where he sees Goody Cloyse and the reverend of Young Goodman Brown’s village. Young Goodman Brown is surprised by the presence of evil in such good people; Young Goodman Brown asks himself, “Is sin so certain as that?
Does it always mantle in red? ” (Hawthorne 642). Young Goodman Brown tells himself he has no time to debate with these men because he “must hasten home” (Hawthorne 643). He also starts to question the presence of Goody Cloyse; Young Goodman Brown thinks, “Is my wife true? ” (Hawthorne 644). Young Goodman Brown is no longer certain if he even knows himself. Young Goodman Brown tells himself that this forest is not like his village; Young Goodman Brown comes up with an explanation for this by concluding that “the devil is in these woods! ” (Hawthorne 645).
Young Goodman Brown’s journey home continues to be filled with doubt and fear about what lurks in the dark, unknown places. When Young Goodman Brown reaches a stream running through the forest, three cloaked people cross over it. They continue on as Young Goodman Brown watches them walk across the water, slowly vanishing into nothingness. Young Goodman Brown thinks, “What shall I do? Whither shall I turn? ” (Hawthorne 646). Young Goodman Brown’s faith is failing him. Young Goodman Brown wants to continue home but he does not know what will happen if he crosses the stream.
Young Goodman Brown decides that it is possible that his journey into the woods has been only a dream, and Young Goodman Brown crosses over the stream where his faith leaves him. As Young Goodman Brown starts to walk westward toward home, he finds himself back in Salem Village at sunrise. Young Goodman Brown realizes it was all a dream until Young Goodman Brown sees three people standing outside of his house; two are wearing black cloaks while one wears white garments (Hawthorne 648). Young Goodman Brown’s wife Young Goodman Brown is convinced that Young Goodman Brown has been with the devil, but Young Goodman Brown does not believe anyone.
Young Goodman Brown vows to pay more attention to what his family does in order to discover who they are truly associated with (Hawthorne 650). Although Young Goodman Brown was tempted by sin during his journey through the forest, Young Goodman Brown learned a valuable lesson about himself and those around him. Young Goodman Browns learns that he must rely on faith rather than doubt because “God will not be mocked” (Hawthorne 617). Young Goodman Brown also learns that even those he thought were good may still have evil inside them; therefore Young Goodman brown must watch everything carefully.
