In “Young Goodman Brown,” the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, expresses that “There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given” (Hawthorne 8). The theme, the loss of innocence, focuses on Goodman Brown and the experiences he undergoes which inevitably changes his life for the worse. Foreshadowing is portrayed several times as the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, states his many examples as the story continues. The author’s style focuses mainly on the Puritan lifestyle and Christian views, in which Hawthorne was being raised. In “Young Goodman Brown,” the loss of innocence, foreshadowing, and the author’s style illustrate the importance of the dynamic character, Goodman Brown. The loss of Goodman Brown’s
…show more content…
As the short story begins, Goodman Brown is about to take on his unknown journey and his wife, Faith, immediately voices, “Prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed to-night. A lone woman is troubled with dreams and such thoughts that she’s afeared of herself sometimes” (Hawthorne 1). This announcement foreshadows Faith’s betrayal and her occurence at the Black Mass. Brown provides a second example when he says, “ What a wretch I am to leave her on such an errand . . . . Methought as she spoke there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done tonight” (Hawthorne 1). Here Nathaniel Hawthorne indicates at Brown’s later uncertainty over whether his experience was a dream, and it also indicates the symbolic death of Faith’s innocence at the Black Mass as well. Goodman Brown also communicates, “There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree. . . What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow” (Hawthorne 1). Hawthorne uses that statement to foreshadow the Devil’s presence at the forest and the black …show more content…
He was born into a Salem family in which his ancestors were Puritans and had firm religious discipline. Being born into a Salem family affected his career monstrously, and interested him in the way of life for Puritan’s. The Short Stories for Students editor, Kathleen Wilson, states: “As a result of his family history, Hawthorne filled much of his work, including ‘Young Goodman Brown,’ with themes exploring the evil actions of humans and the idea of original sin” (Wilson 295). Hawthorne was an American fiction writer, which was mainly from the history of his Puritan ancestors. Thomas E. Connolly from “Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown’: An Attack on puritanic calvinism” announces that “Though much is made of the influence of Puritanism on the writings of Hawthorne, he must also be seen to be a critic of the teachings of Puritanism” (Connolly 311). He then started to begin a style of romance fiction which came from his own beliefs. He used themes such as psychology and human nature through his work of allegory and symbolism. During Hawthorne’s time, which was the 19th century, this was a common type of work. Since he was writing in the 19th century, there was not advanced technology like there is today, therefore, Hawthorne had to give lengthy visual descriptions since he could not print pictures. A component of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s literary style is the absence of character confrontation. He often
As the short story begins, Goodman Brown is about to take on his unknown journey and his wife, Faith, immediately voices, “Prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed to-night. A lone woman is troubled with dreams and such thoughts that she’s afeared of herself sometimes” (Hawthorne 1). This announcement foreshadows Faith’s betrayal and her occurence at the Black Mass. Brown provides a second example when he says, “ What a wretch I am to leave her on such an errand . . . . Methought as she spoke there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done tonight” (Hawthorne 1). Here Nathaniel Hawthorne indicates at Brown’s later uncertainty over whether his experience was a dream, and it also indicates the symbolic death of Faith’s innocence at the Black Mass as well. Goodman Brown also communicates, “There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree. . . What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow” (Hawthorne 1). Hawthorne uses that statement to foreshadow the Devil’s presence at the forest and the black …show more content…
He was born into a Salem family in which his ancestors were Puritans and had firm religious discipline. Being born into a Salem family affected his career monstrously, and interested him in the way of life for Puritan’s. The Short Stories for Students editor, Kathleen Wilson, states: “As a result of his family history, Hawthorne filled much of his work, including ‘Young Goodman Brown,’ with themes exploring the evil actions of humans and the idea of original sin” (Wilson 295). Hawthorne was an American fiction writer, which was mainly from the history of his Puritan ancestors. Thomas E. Connolly from “Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown’: An Attack on puritanic calvinism” announces that “Though much is made of the influence of Puritanism on the writings of Hawthorne, he must also be seen to be a critic of the teachings of Puritanism” (Connolly 311). He then started to begin a style of romance fiction which came from his own beliefs. He used themes such as psychology and human nature through his work of allegory and symbolism. During Hawthorne’s time, which was the 19th century, this was a common type of work. Since he was writing in the 19th century, there was not advanced technology like there is today, therefore, Hawthorne had to give lengthy visual descriptions since he could not print pictures. A component of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s literary style is the absence of character confrontation. He often