Heroism And Characterism In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

Superior Essays
Hero versus villain, light against dark, moral contradicting immoral—these variations of the battle between good bad are commonly used in a large number of stories. Most often the hero displays model behavior while the villain’s behavior is not to be duplicated. In his book On Moral Fiction, John Gardner said that a well written story “present[s] valid models for imitation.” One short story in particular, “Young Goodman Brown” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is no stranger this element, but it also contains invalid behavior models. In “Young Goodman Brown”, Goodman Brown, just married to his wife Faith, leaves one night to set out on a journey with a dark Traveler. Brown’s heart begins to turn away from good when he hides the true reason he …show more content…
However, Brown resists going through with his agreement to follow the Traveler, as the evil ahead is against his family’s Christian beliefs. Goodman Brown also fears that Faith’s heart would be broken were he ever to join the evil that she had dreamt about. The Traveler eventually allows Brown to leave at his own will and Goodman Brown appears to fall asleep in the forest. Yet it is unclear whether the events that follow are a dream or reality and because of his guilt, Brown dies with no good in his heart. Looking from the beginning of the story to when Goodman Brown mentions a covenant to the Traveler, focusing on Brown, Faith, and the Traveler’s dialogue and the narration, we can see Goodman Brown is not a valid model for imitation; however, looking at “Young Goodman Brown” from when Goodman Brown first wants to turn back to when they first see Goody Cloyse walking in the forest, focusing on Goodman Brown’s dialogue and the narration, we can see Goodman Brown is also a valid model for …show more content…
His lack of complete corruption is a valid model to imitate in the way that he has not associated himself with evil like many in his town have. The Traveler informs Brown that even Brown’s father and grandfather were involved with evil. “They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path…” This is news to Brown and he says, “If it be as thou sayest, I marvel they never spoke of these matters.” Goodman Brown is baffled by the fact that neither his father nor grandfather ever spoke of working with the devil. The Traveler also states that he has worked alongside the minister and even the church deacons. “Can this be so?” cried Goodman Brown with a stare of amazement at his undisturbed companion. Brown appears oblivious to the fact that the devil has dealt with so many townspeople. Because Brown is unaware of the Traveler’s companionships with people thought to be good Christians, Brown has innocence or freedom from evil. Being pure is a valid model to follow because it sets one away from bad

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Evil is understood as the force in nature that oversees and provides a rise to wickedness. Evil is a very difficult subject that many consider displeasing, however, evidence from the stories, “ Young Goodman Brown,”,“ The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and, “ The Devil and Tom Walker,” shows that evil does exist; and has existed since the beginning of time. By reading these three stories the themes of Good vs Evil, “Young Goodman Brown,” greed and gluttony in, “ The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and moral decay in, “ The Devil and Tom Walker,” become quite apparent. If all these themes are put together, it shows that there is great evil in each and every human heart. In the tale, “ Young Goodman Brown,” Brown is representing the common man who is struggling in the fight good against evil, which he portrays by venturing into the forest in the dead of night ( the forest generally representing wickedness), and discovering things that are suddenly shown or understood in reality that all must eventually face— that there is sin within the world and nobody is perfect.…

    • 786 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “Short Stories: Young Goodman Brown.” East of the Web, East of the Web, www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/YouGoo.shtml. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” is a story that represents the pervasiveness and secrecy of sin and evil that is alive within all people, especially in the Puritan society that the protagonist, Mr. Brown, lives in in. Despite the Puritan ideal of being the the most pure and faithful community in colonial America, the story reveals the hypocrisy involved in this religion.…

    • 1568 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the short story Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne the symbols he is using are allegories to the moral of the story. The moral of the story can be explained many different ways but the moral is everything/ everyone that look good to the public eye isn’t always good behind closed doors or dark places. Young Goodman Brown discovers that from sunset to nightfall the outside world is different, you see things that shouldn’t be seen, and your Faith is tested it’s all up to yourself to not let evil take over your mind. Young Goodman Brown is man from Salem Village, the village of Puritans.…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Not even “Goodman” Brown is excluded from becoming exposed to evil. The story depicts that religion, spirituality, and a life of morality does not disqualify anyone complete…

    • 156 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Jackson never overtly states that the townspeople in her story are nervous about the approaching lottery. Instead she uses subtle hints that slowly create a sense of apprehension in the reader. In the third paragraph of "The Lottery" Jackson describes men as they gather in the town square. The children have already begun stacking stones. The men are talking about everyday matters such as "planting and rain, tractors and taxes," but Jackson writes that the men "stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed" (par. 2).…

    • 850 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Young Goodman Brown, a man who decided to test his faith. He believes that his morals, and beliefs could never be changed. In reality, he never needed to challenge the path of goodness, if he stays on the same road, he will stay the “goodman” that he is, without malicious thinking. We are born pure, and with goodness, but through life we gain knowledge that distort our thinking. That was the case of Young Goodman Brown, he decided to go on the journey that he knew he will be tempted by malicious thoughts.…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When the story starts, Young Goodman Brown is preparing to leave on a journey. His wife, conveniently named Faith, tries to convince him to wait until morning to leave. She, like religious faith, is trying to protect him. She hints around that the night that Brown is leaving on is a dangerous night to be outside of the protective walls of their household. Faith, trying to look after her husband, unsuccessfully convinces him to stay home.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote a story of a man who is young in the ways of the world. This man, Goodman Brown, found that men are not all good, and later in the story he became convinced they are all bad. He could not remove the idea of universal evil from his mind. The loss of innocence and faith consumed him for the worse. Paul J. Hurley proposed that the origin of evil from the story was within Goodman Brown.…

    • 1426 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    However, despite Brown’s refusals, he eventually gives up to evil, not only losing his faith but his innocence as well and as a result of this, Brown lives a life full of doubt and…

    • 1042 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Literary critic, Rena Korb, suggests that Brown, who represents mankind, is at a point of perfect humility in the beginning because he recognizes himself as a sinner. However, when Brown finds the rest of his village, but most importantly, his wife Faith, at the witches meeting, he abandons his faith of godliness in mankind. It is this decision that leads Brown to his inevitable destruction by searching for salvation where it is not – in himself (Korb…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    However, there are endless instances when humans practice evil and tempt others. The loss of innocence and the loss of faith is relatable in modern human experience. Young Goodman Brown’s journey is a journey of human nature. It is in the nature of individuals to sin and doubt their faith. Thus, evil is…

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    However Brown is shocked when the unknown man who is the devil tells him of the wicked deeds his family has done “I helped your grandfather, the constable, when he lashed the Quaker women so smartly through the streets of Salem; and it was I that brought your father a pitch-pine knot, kindled at my own hearth, to set fire to an Indian village, in King Philips war . They were my good friends, both; and many pleasant walk had we had along this path, and returned merrily after midnight.” (Hawthorne 2). Even with this information Brown does not acknowledge the fact that he himself may not be saved, even with the help of Faith because he can already be considered evil by blood. He also does not acknowledge that even the unexpected can be evil and when he does it will be too…

    • 1243 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” is a story about the struggle between good and evil which is a narrative that has been around for decades. All throughout history people have fought to maintain balance between the two and not let one overpower the other and Young Goodman Brown is one of these people. Young Goodman Brown is stuck between choosing to worship the devil or have faith in God. Faith is also the name of his wife, who he sees as the ultimate symbol of purity and goodness. Faith’s portrayal of purity is only furthered by the pink ribbons she wears as they represent purity and innocence while also giving her a childlike quality.…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    First, he must leave his wife Faith, to go on the journey. While on the journey, Brown meets the devil. He leaves his innocence to venture into evil. He leaves his home and wife which some see as the aspects of a good life. To go wonder in the dark forest, with the devil.…

    • 948 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Loss of Faith and Innocence In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Young Goodman Brown,” he illustrates the duplicity of man’s mind and the struggles to understand truth. By the end of the dark story, the author does not articulate if Young Goodman Brown really took part in a heathen experience in the night described in the story or if it was all made up. Whether part of his imagination or real, the experiences of Brown changed his life forever. It changed everything he knew about faith, love, mankind and society. “A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man did he become from the night of that fearful dream.”…

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays