Morals in Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown and King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail
analytical Essay
1605 words
Morals are set standards of right and wrong for society as a whole. One ’s self image of morals are what the individual thinks is right and wrong according to what he or she learns; however, this “Internal compass” can be influenced because society controls most of what they learn. One’s self image of morals allows an individual to provide compelling arguments, provides emotional stability and allows for an individual to have predetermined views of right and wrong; on account of the fact that said individuals choose to follow the revolutionary figures who provide a strong base for the creation of one’s self image of morals. In most cases, religion plays a major role in the creation of this aspect of identity; made evident in Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in which, through use of historical and religious examples, Dr. King justifies his participation in a non-violent protest to expedite the process of integration. Also, “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne shows how an individual’s self image of morals provide a strong emotional base and an unwavering sense of right and wrong. Even my own experiences have led me to believe that having a strong self image of morals allows an individual to be emotionally stable, and have a strong sense of right and wrong. One’s self image of morals allows a person to accurately determine what they believe is wrong and vice-versa as is the case with Young Goodman Brown; the protagonist in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story “Young Goodman Brown” who sees a disturbing vision in which all of the supposedly good townsfolk enter into a pact with the devil. In Goodman Brown’s vision, while following the unholy worshippers to their meeting place, he proclaims “With heaven above and fa... ... middle of paper ... ...One’s self image of morals is extremely important for an individual because in the case of Doctor Martin Luther King, it allowed him to formulate compelling arguments. For both Young Goodman Brown and Martin Luther King, this aspect of one’s identity allowed them to effectively consider what was right and what was wrong and it also allowed them both to remain emotionally stable even in the least favorable circumstances. Martin Luther King, when he quickly came to terms with this label and even gained a level of satisfaction from his new designation is a prime example. Works Cited 1) King, Martin Luther, Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” A world of Ideas, 7th Ed. Ed. Lee Jacobus, 2006, 173-189. 2) Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Young Goodman Brown. Writing Exploratory Essays: From Personal to Persuasive. 2nd Ed. Steven M. Strang 350-60.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that one's self-image of morals allows an individual to provide compelling arguments, provide emotional stability, and allow for predetermined views of right and wrong.
- Analyzes how goodman brown's self-image of morals allows one to accurately determine what they believe is wrong and vice-versa. he isolates himself from those he saw at the unholy reunion.
- Analyzes how dr. king's unshakeable belief in his self-image of morals helped him form a large part of his identity, the religion known as christianity.
- Explains that one's self image of morals is extremely important for an individual because in the case of doctor martin luther king, it allowed him to formulate compelling arguments.
- Analyzes king, martin luther, jr.'s letter from birmingham jail, a world of ideas, 7th ed.
- Explains hawthorne, nathaniel, young goodman brown, and steven m. strang's writing exploratory essays: from personal to persuasive.
- Explains dr. king's deep-rooted sense of right and wrong, which is synonymous with st. thomas aquinas.
Related
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- The Allegory Of Nathanial Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brownanalytical essayNathanial Hawthorne besieged with his ancestral ties to the Salem Witch Trials and his loathe for a Puritan society, lead him to create an allegory of a young man’s quest and his struggle between good and evil. Hawthorne wrote figuratively about Puritanical ideals, beliefs and social appearance in Young Goodman Brown. Also, the short story is centered on New England’s history, mostly inspired by Puritan beliefs.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how nathanial hawthorne created an allegory of a young man's quest and his struggle between good and evil in young goodman brown.
- Narrates how nathanial hawthorne was born in salem, massachusetts, and spent his adolescent years in maine on his uncle’s farm. he attended bowdoin college and was considered an average student.
- Analyzes how nathanial hawthorne emphasized his bitterness towards his family's involvement in the salem witch trials by using names of two women persecuted.
- Narrates how young goodman brown began his journey at twilight in salem, massachusetts, calling upon his faith before meeting a man that carried the serpent-shaped staff.
- Analyzes how young goodman brown is surrounded by religious symbolism related to puritan beliefs, ideologies, and the bible.
- Analyzes how young goodman brown's marriage to faith symbolized his commitment to his faith in christianity. he felt bad for leaving his wife behind after such a short time married.
- Explains that puritans believed that one's faith would lead them to heaven, but if faith was lost, so was the person’s soul.
- Analyzes how objects in young goodman brown symbolize ideas from the bible, such as faith's pink ribbon in her hair. puritans believed that faith was a gift from god.
- Analyzes how the staff in young goodman brown embodied a device that kept one tethered to weakness and defied the word of god, ultimately resulting in temptation and curiosity.
- Explains that being tethered to an addiction can change one's life path forever. alcohol, drugs, gambling, and sobriety from these devices become a lifelong battle.
- Analyzes how puritans believed the forest was a place where evil breathed, lived and conspired.
- Explains that the forest would alter a person's way of life forever. gang life is hard to break from and has grave societal and personal consequences.
- Analyzes how young goodman brown exemplifies puritan ideology and how nathanial hawthorne's ancestral tie to the salem witch trial is an example of how a man can be tainted by social influences.
1362 wordsRead More - Young Goodman Brown - Interpretive Differences Young Goodman Brown, universally acclaimed as one of Hawthorne's best short stories, presents the student searching out its meaning with not only several possibilities but several rather ambiguous ones. D. M. McKeithan, in an article entitled " 'Young Goodman Brown': An Interpretation" (Modern Language Notes, 67 [1952], 93), has listed the suggestions that have been advanced as "the theme" of the story: "the reality of sin, the pervasiveness of evil, the secret sin and hypocrisy of all persons, the hypocrisy of Puritanism, the results of doubt or disbelief, the devastating effects of moral scepticism . . . the demoralizing effects of the discovery that all men are sinners and hypocrites." Admittedly, these themes are not as diverse as they might at first appear.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how hawthorne's "young goodman brown" presents the student with several possibilities and ambiguous ones. the themes are not as diverse as they might at first appear, but there are other ambivalences in the story.
- Analyzes how "young goodman brown," first published in 1835 in the new england magazine, presents relatively few problems. obsolete words like "wot'st", "goody" and "goodman" are defined in most desk dictionaries.
- Explains that the first edition of the handbook used a version of "young goodman brown" that contained at least two substantive variants. significant interpretive differences could hinge on which words are employed.
400 wordsRead More - Sin In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brownanalytical essayNathaniel Hawthorne’s story, “Young Goodman Brown,” shows that sin is universal in nature. He exposes that every single person, no matter how pious or how evil they may appear on the outside all have committed sinful acts. For example, Brown sees his own deacon and reverend engaged in a discussion in which the deacon, states that the group of people that they are to meet up with “know almost as much devilry as the best of us” (29). This statement by the deacon shows not only an admittance that the supposedly pious clergy commit evil acts, but also that they are familiar enough with sin that they are considered masters of devilry. He shows that even leaders of the spiritual community, those whom citizens are supposed to look towards for moral
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how nathaniel hawthorne's story, "young goodman brown," shows that sin is universal in nature.
- Analyzes how hawthorne criticizes those who excuse their sins as being justified for religious causes. the devil informs brown that his ancestors tortured and killed innocents.
- Analyzes how hawthorne uses faith's fall into sin to show that loved ones have such a great power and importance in human lives that this love is placed above the avoidance of sin.
659 wordsRead More - The Effects Of Sin In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brownanalytical essayNathaniel Hawthorne does a good job at showing the effects of guilt and sin in his story “Young Goodman Brown” The story presents the will to fight, as well as the fall to temptations. The moral of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” is, a submission to temptation will make a man see excessive evil forever, which is shown through the use of symbols.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how nathaniel hawthorne's "young goodman brown" shows the effects of guilt and sin through the use of symbols.
- Analyzes how the path on young goodman brown's journey symbolizes his temptation and temptation traps him.
- Analyzes how young goodman brown felt the presence of evil indians on the path in the woods.
- Analyzes how young goodman brown overhears the reverend and deacon gookin boast about their skill in deviltry.
- Analyzes how young goodman brown fell to temptation and sees much evil within his own self. he spots the pink ribbon that belongs to faith hanging from the tree.
- Analyzes how young goodman brown takes a child away from an “excellent” religion teacher to protect them. goody cloyse, that excelled old christian, stood in the early sunshine at her own lattice.
495 wordsRead More - Good Vs. Evil in Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brownanalytical essayGood vs. Evil The short story, "Young Goodman Brown" is a fascinating rendition of the battle between good and evil. The reader must delve into the depths of his/her own beliefs to understand what the symbolism is. Nathaniel Hawthorne writes an entire lesson in life as one big symbol using allegory. The various examples are fruitful and will be presented throughout this essay. First, the main character's name is Goodman Brown.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the setting of the forest is that of darkness, dreariness, disillusionment, perhaps symbolizing one's path for the journey through life.
- Analyzes how reveals that brown suspects he is doing something wrong. he is led deeper into the forest by a pink ribbon, presumably belonging to his wife, faith.
- Analyzes how nathaniel hawthorne's "young goodman brown" is a fascinating rendition of the battle between good and evil.
- Analyzes how goodman brown lost his faith when he returned to salem to see the hypocrisy of the so-called christians around him.
680 wordsRead More - Does Young Goodman Brown Achieve Goodness?analytical essayNathaniel Hawthorne often emphasizes the ambiguous nature of sin, that good and evil do not exist in parallel with each other but at many times intersect with each other in his fiction. In "Young Goodman Brown," Hawthorne applies what he believes is the virtue of recognizing cosmic irony of taking into account the contradictions inherent in the human condition, to his portrayal of Young Goodman Brown.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how nathaniel hawthorne emphasizes the ambiguity of sin, that good and evil do not exist in parallel but intersect with each other in his fiction.
- Analyzes how hawthorne juxtaposes the village of salem, massachusetts, with the mystical forest where evil and the supernatural reside to symbolize brown's misguided perception of the mutual exclusivity of good and evil.
- Analyzes how hawthorne creates the blurred lines between sin and virtue for brown with the appearance of all of the respected community elders in the forest.
- Analyzes how hilda's approach to the portrait of beatrice illustrates her internalization of the puritanical precepts of righteousness, the absolute nature of good and evil.
- Explains that hawthorne, nathaniel, and julia reidhead, the norton anthology of american literature.
- Analyzes how hilda's mutually exclusive view of sin makes her appear as an elevated angelic and inhuman presence that wields cold judgment upon the human beings below.
1288 wordsRead More - I. Thesis:Young Goodman Brown’s Journey implies his moral ambivalence and evil nature. “Young Goodman Brown” was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and was issued in 1835. This short story takes place in a small community of puritans in New England in 17th century. “Young Goodman Brown” is fine an example of human are wicked by nature. II.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that "young goodman brown" was written by nathaniel hawthorne and was issued in 1835. it takes place in a small community of puritans in new england in 17th century.
- Explains that young goodman brown became an altered man because of his evil nature. his ambivalence and evil nature was indicated in his journey.
- Analyzes how the implication of faith to goodman brown is at the beginning of the story as they exchange kisses and say farewell.
- Analyzes how the devil's physical resemblance to goodman brown was indicated by the narrator at the beginning of their journey
- Analyzes how goodman brown encountered his instructor, goody cloyse, who was also familiar with the devil.
- Analyzes how the narrator revealed the old goodman brown, a more experience version of himself.
1753 wordsRead More - Religion vs. Morality in Light in Augustanalytical essayIn conclusion, although religion is used as a way to frame the basis for morality, Faulkner reveals how the virtues and morals based in religion can become disregarded and/or distorted as a result of an individual’s own cruel and selfish intentions. While McEachern and Doc Hines both identified as religious men, neither of them were moral. Both men manipulated their religious faith in order to fulfill their own selfish and cruel agendas. In contrast, Byron Bunch is sincerely moral. As opposed to using religion as way to justify his behavior, he uses religion as a way to guide his life and spirituality. Therefore, moral goodness is not the product of religion itself but rather the individual and how they choose to live their life.
In this essay, the author
- Cautions against the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality prevails in exclusion of religious principle.
- Analyzes how william faulkner's novel, light in august, confirms his belief that religion and morality are not synonymous.
- Analyzes how faulkner depicts doc hines as a less religiously devout character. he uses religion to justify his inherent belief in white superiority.
- Analyzes how faulkner's initial descriptions of simon mceachern and his home life give context to the dedication that he has to his faith.
- Compares byron bunch to mceachern and doc hines. both men manipulated their religious faith in order to fulfill their selfish and cruel agendas.
1171 wordsRead More - Analyzing Young Goodman Brown "`Lo! there ye stand, my children In the first line of this passage, Satan is addressing the community of Salem village. He calls them `my children' making it seem as if he is there to protect or save them from the misery found on God's earth. He speaks to the people of Salem village in an `almost sad' tone in order to seem sympathetic or sorry for the downfall of mankind from good to evil.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how satan addresses the salem village community in an 'almost sad' tone in order to seem sympathetic or sorry for the downfall of mankind from good to evil.
- Introduces goodman brown and his wife faith as they bid farewell on the streets of salem village. they later find out that he is planning on meeting satan and sacrificing his soul to pure evil.
- Opines that goodman brown will never recover to live a peaceful, happy life, as he is told in the final line of the story that his dying hour was gloom.
- Analyzes how "young goodman brown" deals with evil and secret guilt, as do many of hawthorne's works.
- Analyzes how goodman brown is already faced with guilt over what he is about to do. he begins to view everything in terms of good or evil.
- Analyzes how goodman brown conjured up the image of satan in his head in order to deal with the secret guilt he was experiencing.
- Analyzes how goodman brown is justifying his actions by making it appear in his own head that anybody would do what he is doing and therefore it is okay for him to continue down the path leading to ultimate evil.
- Analyzes how satan is addressing the community before him and explaining how mankind is evil by nature and can find happiness in nothing that is good. goodman brown is being torn between good and evil as he has been throughout the story.
- Analyzes how goodman brown's wife, faith, represents the good that remains on earth. he doesn't want to associate faith with the evil he may see in mankind.
- Explains that satan's staff is crooked and black like a serpent and symbolizes that every living thing satan touches withers up and dies.
- Concludes that the story takes place in salem village because the witchcraft trials took place there. the town itself has a history of being filled with evil.
- Opines that evil is the nature of mankind. evil must be your only happiness.
1377 wordsRead More - Hawthorne To Faulkner: The Evolution Of The Short Storyanalytical essayNathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” tells the story of a young man who decides to league himself with the devil. Goodman Brown is a citizen of a typical town with its share of good people and not-so good people. Goodman Brown believed that he knew the inhabitants of the town fairly well. He knew Goody Cloyse, for example, to be “a very pious and exemplary dame, who had taught him his catechism in youth, and was still his moral and spiritual advisor, jointly with the minister and Deacon Gookin” (598). He knew Deacon Gookin was a strict man of the Church and was always “bound to some ordination or ecclesiastical council” (599). However, in his travels through the woods with the old man, Goodman Brown notices Goody Cloyse progressing down the path.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how hawthorne and faulkner's short stories "young goodman brown" and "a rose for emily" use a moral to endorse particular ideals or values.
- Analyzes how nathaniel hawthorne's "young goodman brown" tells the story of a young man who decides to league himself with the devil.
- Analyzes how goodman brown encounters deacon gookin in the woods and wonders why they are traveling on the same path that he is taking with the devil.
- Analyzes how faulkner's "a rose for emily" has a similar moral, but in this story, it is the townspeople who learn the lesson.
- Analyzes how the townspeople continually judge emily and make assumptions about her life without a basis in fact. faulkner acknowledged the connection between his title character and her environment in 1959.
- Opines that this was another manifestation of man’s injustice to man, of the poor tragic human being struggling with its own heart, with others, and its environment, for the simple things which all humans want.
- Analyzes how the townspeople in the story learn that all that they assumed to be true about emily was not true, thus instilling the moral that judging people without truly knowing them can only lead to misunderstandings.
- Explains that both "young goodman brown" and "a rose for emily" use morals to teach readers how to improve the way that they perceive the people in their lives.
- Analyzes how religious parables taught basic life lessons as a means for people to learn the teachings of religious leaders in an easy and straightforward manner.
- Analyzes how hawthorne and faulkner used elements of romantic literature such as preoccupation with ages past, the supernatural, and psychological studies of their characters.
- Compares hawthorne's language with faulkner'
- Analyzes how faulkner differs from hawthorne in that he addresses controversial issues that would hardly have been considered appropriate material to discuss, much less include in a short story.
- Analyzes how faulkner had a considerable amount of freedom in what he wrote, and this freedom is reflected in his work.
- Analyzes how nathaniel hawthorne's "young goodman brown" emphasizes morals as he examines the inner workings of his main character’s thoughts. faulkner tailors these techniques to fit the more controversial issue
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