In the 1840’s, Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of several founding members at Brook Farm, a community of transcendentalists that sought to live connected with nature and God. Hawthorne evidently did not enjoy his time there, as he resigned and withdrew his initial investment only a year later. His poor experience in the presence of other transcendentalists may have been the cause for his anti transcendentalist thoughts, many of which are on display in a short story targeted at Emerson and his peers known as “Young Goodman Brown.” In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” Hawthorne deliberately focuses his attention on the evil that resides in nature, the existence of a Devil, and the fact that evil is inherent in all people to mock Emerson’s …show more content…
The story of Goodman Brown shows a descent into madness facilitated by the evil that permeates nature; a sharp contrast to Emerson’s teaching about using nature to get in touch with God. When making his way into the forest, Brown muses that “It was all as lonely as could be; and there is this peculiarity in such a solitude, that the traveller knows not who may be concealed by the innumerable trunks and the thick boughs overhead” (Hawthorne 31). Hawthorne isn’t just showing that there was no one else in the forest with Goodman Brown, he is showing the absence of God in the forest. That no matter where you go, you may never be certain what lies beyond the trunks of trees, but the peculiarity is that Brown knows it lies in league with the Devil rather than God. This is a direct mockery of Emerson’s Transcendentalism because Emerson teaches not only that nature is sacred, but that God is in everything. Emerson believes God is behind those tree trunks as well as in them, and in the boughs, and in …show more content…
While trying to resist the Devil, Goodman Brown claims “my father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him” (Hawthorne 31). To which the Devil replies that he has, in fact, made acquaintance with Goodman Brown’s ancestors as long as they they have been puritans, generations back. This is significant because Goodman Brown says his forefathers never mentioned their numerous communions with the Devil, but each came to the same conclusions on their own. Driven by their own personal sin and selfishness, they all came to the Devil independently of each other. This ends up standing true for most everyone in the town of Salem, and presumably New England, according to the Devil. This derides Emerson’s faith because it demonstrates that evil exists, and that it exists independently in every person. Emerson believed that everyone was inherently good and God created no evil, but here, Hawthorne shows that everyone is capable of evil deeds without so much as the slightest coercion, and sin is therefore ingrained in mankind. One of Goodman Brown’s initial deeds indicative of his descent is when he spies a pious old woman from town and says “I shall take a cut through the woods, until we have left this Christian woman behind” (Hawthorne). Goodman Brown is clearly more focused on
Good and Evil is present in many stories, although you may not see it all of the time, it may be represented by symbols. In the story "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne there are many symbols of good and evil. The pink ribbons on Faiths cap are mentioned often in the story and are a major symbol in the story. The "woods" and "the staff" are also mentioned throughout the story, and they also have another meaning. Symbols are a prominent part of nearly every story, they help improve the story by branching out on the main idea with other meanings in the story.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an extraordinary writer, who used real life experiences in every one of his stories. However, growing up in a Puritan society during a reformation gave Hawthorne a distorted view on God’s character. Hawthorne was intelligent, but by no means a people person, which created a pathway for him to become an author. There were a few key points in his life growing in a religion zealous society that lead him to abandon his faith. Hence, the short story of “Young Goodman Brown” representing that humans are cynical and evil, and the dangers of losing your faith in God.
Hawthorne skillfully uses Goodman Brown’s wife’s name, Faith, as a symbol of Goodman Brown’s strong faith when Brown’s reassuring response to Faith imply that his faith cannot be weakened: “Amen!’ cried Goodman Brown, “Say thy prayers, dear Faith, and go to bed at dusk, and no harm will come to thee” (Hawthorne 22). Brown leaves Faith; whom he describes as a “blessed angel on earth,” and journeys to the forest (Hawthorne 22). Taking the dark, dreary road into the forest symbolizes his act of jumping into the path leading to despair. The forest represents sin, and the evil grows stronger and stronger as Goodman walks further into the
In "Young Goodman Brown," Nathaniel Hawthorne, through the use of deceptive imagery, creates a sense of uncertainty that illuminates the theme of man's inability to operate within a framework of moral absolutism. Within every man there is an innate difference between good and evil and Hawthorne's deliberate use of ambiguity mirrors this complexity of human nature. Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown, is misled by believing in the perfectibility of humanity and in the existence of moral absolutes. According to Nancy Bunge, Hawthorne naturally centers his story upon a Puritan protagonist to convey the "self-righteous" that he regards as the "antithesis of wisdom"(4). Consequently, Young Goodman Brown is unable to accept the indefinable vision of betrayal and evil that he encounters in the forest. The uncertainty of this vision, enhanced by Hawthorne's deliberate, yet effective, use of ambiguity, is also seen in the character of Faith, the shadows and darkness of the forest, and the undetectable boundaries that separate nightmarish dreams from reality.
Brown begins the journey believing that his forefathers are innocent, good men, but the devil tells Brown that he has been, "…well acquainted with your family as with ever a one among the Puritans; and that’s no trifle to say" (Kelly, 192). Brown's forefathers become equated with the devil. The people of the town are also displaced as the devil. The devil tells Brown, "I have a very general acquaintance here in New England. The deacons of many a church have drunk the communion wince with me; the selectmen of divers towns make me their chairman; and a majority of the Great and General Court are firm supporters of my interest, The governor and I, too----But these are state secrets" (Kelly, 192-93).
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Young Goodman Brown” manifests a duality of conflict – both an external conflict and an internal conflict. It is the purpose of this essay to explore both types of conflict as manifested in the story.
“Young Goodman Brown” believed he found his salvation. This is not the actual way to
The story is set in seventeenth-century Salem, a time and place where sin and evil were greatly analyzed and feared. The townspeople, in their Puritan beliefs, were obsessed with the nature of sin and with finding ways to be rid of it altogether through purification of the soul. At times, people were thought to be possessed by the devil and to practice witchcraft. As punishment for these crimes, some were subjected to torturous acts or even horrible deaths. Thus, Hawthorne’s choice of setting is instrumental in the development of theme.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown”, Goodman Brown struggles with staying pure and not giving in to the devil. Hawthorne utilizes allegory and ambiguity to leave unanswered questions for the reader.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Young Goodman Brown”, goodman Brown leaves his wife Faith to embark on a bizarre journey into the woods late in the evening. During his journey he becomes bewildered as he sees recognizable faces being part of a devilish meeting in the dark woods. Hawthorne leaves it up for interpretation whether or not Goodman Brown actually did see fellow friends being part of some evil gathering or if he dreamt it. When Goodman Brown returns from his journey it is showed that he not only lost his trust, but he also lost his faith when it comes to his loved ones, religion, and even himself. The morning Goodman Brown made it back to the street of Salem Village, the old deacon Gookin was at domestic worship, the words of his prayer were heard through an open window.
When Brown is in the forest, he is tempted by a couple of different beings which presents a corresponding connection to the Bible. Paulits argues that Hawthorne’s use of the biblical scene is uniform with the theme of ambivalence. He contends that Brown’s journey into the forest is analogous to Christ in the desert. While in the forest Goodman Brown is tempted by Goody Cloyse and Brown says no stating “my mind is made up. Not another step will I budge of this errand” (Hawthorne 1037).
The similarity between Goodman Brown and Emerson’s ideas are embraced by how erroneous a person’s perception may be and how things are not always as they seem. Also, Goodman Brown held his father and grandfather in high regard stating, “My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him.” , when the man that he was travelling a maleficent journey with stated, “ I have been as well acquianted with your family as with ever a one among the Puritans.” This surprised Goodman brown as it reassured him that his family were not the virtous Puritan men he presumed they were. Goodman Brown hearing this now believes everyone is sinful and evil; connecting to Emerson’s idea of the loss
...ssed though the use of setting, foreshadowing, and symbolism. William Graham Sumner once said “Men never cling to their dreams with such tenacity as at the moment when they are losing faith in them, and know it, but do not dare yet to confess it to themselves.” (brainyquote.com). This statement holds many truths to the thoughts and actions of the young Goodman Brown in Hawthorne’s allegorical story. Brown was quick to go on his foreboding quest, knowing what his meeting with the devil may lead to, and only when threatened and scared attempted to turn back to hold on to both Faith physically and psychologically. Whether his journey into the forest was an illusion or not, Brown’s perception of faith in society have been dramatically altered, as he may have lost all faith in humanity.
Goodman Brown is later illustrated as, “A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man…” (Hawthorne 9). By losing everything about his faith, he loses his soul. Goodman’s existence becomes nothingness and empty. What Goodman saw on his errand poisoned his soul, leaving him a bitter, miserable man.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Young Goodman Brown,” the author uses danger and mystery to represent the struggle of good versus evil. Young Goodman Brown journeys into the night and comes to realize an unforgiving truth. Everyone is in danger of abandoning their faith or is inherently evil. Nathaniel Hawthorne has filled this story symbolism, after reading this story the reader may have questions about Young Goodman Browns’ determination to journey towards his evil purpose. Nathaniel Hawthorne implies strong faith can endure but when that faith is destroyed, what view does a person have towards mankind? Let us take a look at Nathaniel Hawthorne’s use of significant symbols throughout “Young Goodman Brown.”