Young Goodman Brown By Nathaniel Hawthorne
American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne was born July 4th, 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts. Originally born with the name Nathaniel Hathorne, a 'w' was added to his last name to disassociate himself with his ancestors that were judges in the seventeenth century Salem witch trials (NathanielHawthorneBio). With the ancestry in Salem, Hawthorne was known for his dark romanticism. One of Hawthornes most common theme to write about were conflict between good and evil. The short story "Young Goodman Brown" was published in 1835. This short story is a great combination of Hawthornes ancestry past and his imagination.
Young Goodman Brown takes place in the late 17th century; in Salem Massachusetts. The story begins with Goodman Brown about to set off on a trip while his wife Faith tries to get him to put off his journey, fearing that something might happen to him. Goodman Brown ensured his wife of his safety and told her to pray for him. After leaving his wife and beginning his journey, Goodman Brown promises himself that after tonight when he finishes his task, he will never leave his wife's side and he will spend the rest of his life with her. Walking through the dark and mysterious forest, Goodman Brown becomes anxious. A man appears out from the darkness of the forest and seems to be expecting Goodman Brown and asks him why he is late. Continuing to walk further into the woods, Goodman Brown informs his companion that it is getting late and he must return back to his wife. The man ensures Goodman Brown to continue on and while they walk he will convince him why he should go further, how ever if he is not convincing enough, Goodman Brown could turn and head back. Advancing deeper into the woods with every step, Goodman Brown becomes frustrated with having to complete this task. He tells his companion that he is the first in the family to have to so such an unchristian like thing. The companion then tells Goodman Brown that he knows and has met his father and his fathers father, and all too had to complete such a task. He even tells Goodman Brown that his ancestors weren't such faithful Christians and did many unholy deeds.
In denial of his companions claims, he is then told that the whole village is filled with wickedness. In agonizing pain, Good Brown proceeds further in the woods. The two men then see a women in the distance, they approach her and she to is heading to where they are going. Goodman Brown recognises her, as she taught him catechism. As they continue, Goodman Brown sees more people who he thought were good and faithful Christians. When they finally reach there destination, it is a ceremony around a flame lit alter. To Goodman Browns dismay, he appears at the alter with his wife Faith. About to be covered in blood to steal their alliance with the wickedness, Goodman Brown tells his wife Faith to look into the heavens and resist the evil. In an instant Goodman Brown wakes up on a rock in the forest and heads home to his wife. Unsure what was real or just a dream, Goodman Brown is deeply shaken and is suspicious of everyone around him.
Hawthorne has a way of selecting great word choice to deepen a simple story. He gives characters names that symbolizes who they are. Take Young Goodman Brown for an example. Referring to him as Young Goodman Brown amplifies his youth and lack of experience. It shows that he is still innocent in the world and isn't yet aware of its true array of colors. The disadvantage of youth can also being able to be deceived easily because you are so trust worthy of others; and we see that with Young Goodman Brown, although he is eager to return home, he listens to his companion and travels deeper into the woods. His wife Faith also symbolizes a number of things. In the story she is described as wearing a pink ribbon, the color pink is the product of red and white. Red symbolizes lust and danger, when white stands for purity and innocents. Pink is in between negative and positive but is known as the symbol of pure love (wiki). Faiths name alone says it all, when Young Goodman Brown leaves his wife Faith behind, he also leaves his real Faith with her when he sets out on his journey into the woods. While in the woods his wife Faith appears with him out from no where because his faith had came back to him and he tried to overcome the wickedness of the devil.
Works Cited
"Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography - life, family, childhood, children, name, history, wife, mother, son, book, old, information, born, college, house, time." Encyclopedia of World Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2010.
"Pink - Symbolism Wiki." Symbolism Wiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2010.
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