Comparing Young Goodman Brown And The House Of Seven Gables
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Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of the short story, “Young Goodman Brown, was born in 1804 “in Salem Massachusetts to a once influential Puritan family.” At four years old his father died and his mother “became a recluse.” Hawthorne was left “lame” after he suffered an injury. Hawthorne has written many stories, two of them that are well known to myself are, The Scarlett Letter and The House of Seven Gables.
Even though the theme of Hawthorne’s story “Young Goodman Brown” is Faith and Doubt, I feel Hawthorne’s own Culture and Identity are incorporated into the story. Young Goodman Brown is set in a village in Salem, similar to Hawthorne’s birth city. Also, even though I am not greatly familiar with the Puritan religious denomination, I believe that Hawthorne’s family religion was inspiration for his characters.
If we…show more content… Young Goodman Brown leaves his wife, Faith, who represents all that is good and holy for some evil purpose. The question arises, Is Faith human or symbolic? Goodman enters this forest, that is dark and scary looking, and seems to get lost in a dream state. I am not sure if this dream state is an actual dream or some kind of a trance. While in this forest he comes face to face with an older, evil, version of himself. In his dream, Goodman, seems to struggle inside himself. Does he wish to be good or evil? As he journey’s through this forest with this guy, his older, evil, self, he sees people who are important in the church. These important people who should pure, without sin. Only they were “journeying so deep into the heathen wilderness.” Just seeing these holy men, on the same path as himself, had him “doubting whether there really was a heaven above him.” These holy men were there, deep in the forest, to initiate “converts” into their evil religion. Goodman is overcome with fear when he sees his wife, Faith, there with the holy men. He cries out to her, “Look up to heaven, and resist the wicked