Mood And Atmosphere In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes several literary tools in order to create a certain atmosphere and mood in “Young Goodman Brown.” This story is about a kind and humble man, who leaves his wife, Faith, in order to go into the woods one night. In the woods, Goodman meets a mysterious traveler, who exhibits supernatural and somewhat evil qualities. Throughout the story, Goodman and the traveler venture deeper into the woods and find Goodman’s well-known, pious acquaintances and eventually, his wife. The couple participates in a devil-worshipping ceremony and they are never the same. Throughout the story, Hawthorne creates a dark atmosphere and mood through his settings, imagery, symbolism, and word choice.

Hawthorne applies the use of setting in order to add to the frightening mood and atmosphere. It is stated, “He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind” (Hawthorne 620). This illustrates Goodman going further into the woods and being enveloped in the thicket of the trees. The quote represents the darkness enclosing Goodman. Through this, the

Most of “Young Goodman Brown” is based upon symbolic meanings. For example, the names, Goodman and Faith, represent a kind husband and his religious and philosophical faith. At one point, Goodman tells the traveler that Faith made him late to their meeting (Hawthorne 620). This illustrates how his good nature and faith in God kept him from meeting the devil so soon. At the end of this story, Goodman claims that he lost his wife, Faith (Hawthorne 625). Through this, Hawthorne shows how Goodman ultimately loses his faith in God and belief in good. Another symbol in “Young Goodman Brown” is the forest. It is stated, that Goodman “passed on through the forest, where no church had ever been gathered or