Theme Of Faith In Young Goodman Brown

“Young Goodman Brown” is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, set in Salem village in the year 1846. In this short story, Young Goodman Brown has to fight within himself to keep his faith alive and stay uncorrupted. The author uses symbolism and religious imagery to support the story and make it more meaningful. Faith is a huge topic in this story and it is a test that Goodman Brown must pass in order to go back to his normal old life. Goodman Brown’s faith is tested with his journey through the forest. Having a strong faith can get one through any difficult situation, but what happens when that faith is shaken? When corruption and temptation come into play, will Young Goodman Brown’s faith stay strong and let him through without being

That staff looks like a great black snake who can be taken as almost living. “But the only thing about him that could be fixed upon as remarkable was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent” (Hawthorne 80). This is an example of religious imagery and symbolism. In this story, we know that the old man is the devil because of his serpentine staff and that relates to the bible. In the bible, the devil is referred to as a serpent. The black color of the staff symbolizes evil while the snakelike shape represents temptation, deception, and corruption. When the devil offers Goodman Brown his staff to get to the ceremony faster, Goodman Brown declines his offer. Goodman Brown’s strong faith saves him from temptation and from falling into corruption. If Goodman Brown had accepted the devil’s offer, he would have been

It all comes to him as a huge shock and he is shaken but he still holds on to his faith. He cries, “With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against against the devil” (Hawthorne 84). After seeing so much hypocrisy, the foundation of Goodman Brown’s faith was shaken but still he kept holding on because of his wife, Faith. He knew as long as Faith is by his side, he will never become corrupted. When Goodman Brown sees Faith’s pink ribbon caught on a branch in the forest, he loses it and his faith weakens. He cries, “My Faith is gone!” (Hawthorne 85). By saying this, Goodman Brown also means that his faith in God is gone along with his wife since his wife symbolizes his own faith. He goes on by saying, “There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given” (Hawthorne 85). That’s when he takes the devil’s staff and is immediately transported to the evil ceremony where he sees how corrupted everyone