Young Goodman Brown

1530 Words7 Pages
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” is typical of his works as it represents one of his common themes, morality. A&E’s electronic biographies states, Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804 and his life was steeped in the Puritan legacy (Biography Editors). His Puritan linage includes John Hathorne, a judge in the Salem witch trials. Shameful of his family’s past, he added the ‘w’ to his last name. His father, a ship’s captain, died when Hawthorne was only 4 and his Mother became over protective. This produced a childhood of isolation, initiating his interest in books and lead to a profession as a writer. Isolation during his youth, and haunted by his family’s past of involvement in religious persecution and the Salem witch…show more content…
Brown prides himself on being a good Christian, and as he is leaving his wife, Faith, he feels guilt. His guilt is portrayed in the lines “‘Poor little Faith!’ thought he, for his heart smote him. ‘What a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand?’” Being raised by generations of Puritans, outwardly confessing faith, Browns beliefs in the goodness of his ancestry is questioned when the Old Man tells him that he “was there when his father and grandfather whipped Quakers and set fire to Indian Villages.” Interestingly enough, Brown himself is walking the moral line as he is aware of what is at the end of his journey. Even the character’s name “Goodman Brown” is symbolic of how Hawthorne wants the reader to believe Brown is morally good. The story continues and Brown is introduced to the “Old Man” as he arrives to the forest. The Old Man tries to convince Brown to enter the forest, even though he resists. The Old Man tells him of his Grandfather, father, and other members of prominent members of the church and community who have continued the journey in to the forest with him. Brown is shocked, but distinguishes himself from those who have followed the Old Man in the past. Other’s may have ‘sinned’ but Brown considers himself stronger and will not give in to the Old Man. However, the struggle is real. Even as Brown is shown Goody Cloyse, a…show more content…
By this resemblance, Hawthorne shows the how the devil can change to portray himself as anything necessary to achieve his goals. The Old Man appears as an ordinary man, and interestingly was good friends with Brown’s father and grandfather. The Old Man reveals to Goodman Brown he was present during two major events from Goodman Brown's family history: when Goodman Brown's grandfather whipped a Quaker woman in the streets of Salem, and when Goodman Brown's father burned an Indian village during King Philip's War (Starmack). Initially, Goodman Brown is taken back by this revelation, defending his forefathers as good people of prayer and Christian men. As the Old Man continues his oration, Goodman Brown finds himself questioning not only his forefathers, but many prominent members of the community. The first hint of the Old Man representing the devil is the wooden staff. The devil’s staff, which is encircled by a carved serpent, draws from the biblical symbol of the serpent as an evil demon. Just as the serpent tempts Eve to taste the fruit from the forbidden tree, defying God’s will and bringing his wrath upon humanity; the Old Man is tempting Goodman Brown to enter the forest, in to what evil is unknown at this point (SparkNotes Editors). The debate between Goodman Brown and the Old Man over entering the forest continues. In the classic battle between good and evil, Goodman
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