"Young Goodman Brown” Supporting Self- Guidance “Young Goodman Brown” was written in 1835 by American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne lived in the Puritan times when an individual coming up with his or her own ideas or actions was frowned upon. A person was expected to act along the terms of the bible. The theme of this story appears to be that it is important for a person to recognize what their instinct is trying to tell them because only that person knows what is best for them, not what others tell them, and to follow that instinct. If people act based on what others tell them to do when their instinct is telling them otherwise, bad decisions and regret can occur. Goodman Brown did not follow his instinct; he followed the orders of
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It was expected of a person to act according to the Bible 's standards. Regardless of these expectations, I believe that a theme in this story is that it is important for one to recognize and follow what his or her soul wants and what his or her instinct is speaking out, and to not follow what others may say or do. Hawthorne 's story supports my thesis, because Goodman Brown explains that he is not fond of the idea of lurking into the woods. “Friend, having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came.” (Hawthorne 392). It was not his wanting to go farther into the woods the reason he did, it was the Devil 's wanting. “Let us walk on, nevertheless, reasoning as we go, and if I convince thee not, thou shalt turn back. We are but a little way in the forest, yet” (Hawthorne 392). Goodman Brown knew he was not in favor of traveling the ominous woods, but the Devil wanted him to, so he did. He did not abide by what his gut was saying, and undesirable consequences arose because of that. He underwent a long, dreadful life following the events he witnessed in the forest. If he had not belittled his instincts, he may not have witnessed these distressing events. A person should never doubt what their gut is telling them; the soul knows best. A person should only follow the actions of what his or her instincts say, because if the person doesn 't and he or she follows the requests of others instead, undesirable events may transpire. Only a persons gut can fully understand his or her true destiny, and it is essential to tap into the path that is given and follow only that
It was expected of a person to act according to the Bible 's standards. Regardless of these expectations, I believe that a theme in this story is that it is important for one to recognize and follow what his or her soul wants and what his or her instinct is speaking out, and to not follow what others may say or do. Hawthorne 's story supports my thesis, because Goodman Brown explains that he is not fond of the idea of lurking into the woods. “Friend, having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came.” (Hawthorne 392). It was not his wanting to go farther into the woods the reason he did, it was the Devil 's wanting. “Let us walk on, nevertheless, reasoning as we go, and if I convince thee not, thou shalt turn back. We are but a little way in the forest, yet” (Hawthorne 392). Goodman Brown knew he was not in favor of traveling the ominous woods, but the Devil wanted him to, so he did. He did not abide by what his gut was saying, and undesirable consequences arose because of that. He underwent a long, dreadful life following the events he witnessed in the forest. If he had not belittled his instincts, he may not have witnessed these distressing events. A person should never doubt what their gut is telling them; the soul knows best. A person should only follow the actions of what his or her instincts say, because if the person doesn 't and he or she follows the requests of others instead, undesirable events may transpire. Only a persons gut can fully understand his or her true destiny, and it is essential to tap into the path that is given and follow only that