With life comes many struggles, but one specific burden immensely affects all. The religious aspect one acquires can easily be distorted by the impious. In a story titled, “Young Goodman Brown”, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hawthorne portrays holiness being tested by wickedness, and attests how one battles within. Hawthorne uses theme and symbolization to signify the message and leaves it to the reader to distinguish if it’s a dream or reality. The perspective of the story is based on the reader’s presumption. Two critics show deep insight of the story, “In the “Bedeviling of Young Goodman Brown”, Thomas F. Walsh Jr focuses his analyzation of the symbolization throughout the story, showing wickedness leading to Brown’s estrangement, and revealing
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Through his quest they symbolize the good and the evil he is battling with. In “Bedeviling of Young Goodman Brown,” Walsh argues, “First, Faith, Brown 's wife, represents religious faith and faith in mankind; second, Brown 's journey into the forest represents an inward journey into the black, despairing depths of his soul; third, the devil represents Brown 's darker, doubting side, which eventually believes that evil is the nature of mankind” ( Walsh 331). Meaning, Faith, his wife signifies the faith he has with the Lord and every bit of doubt, and curiosity has lead him to the forest where his faith is tried. Walsh scrutinizes the symbolistic aspect of the story and confirms how each aspect correlates with another, establishing the meaning of the story. In the beginning of his journey, the old man (devil) is encouraging him to enter the forest as he is aware of what is to come. The elder man manipulates Brown, “They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path […], I would fain be friends with you, for their sake” (Hawthorne 378). “They”, pertaining to Brown’s father and grandfather, who Brown knew to be of Christ were on the devil’s side and walked along that dark path as well, he uses them to persuade Brown deep into the forest to deprive him of his faith. Since, “The first people who are mentioned with …show more content…
In the “Bedeviling of Young Goodman Brown”, Thomas F. Walsh Jr observations showed how the characters roles impacted the story and how the forest itself resembled hell. “The Reader in Young Goodman Brown”, by Sheldon W. Liebman had a different approach of the story and focused her interpretation on the motive of the story. They both entailed insights that supported my insight of the story, as well as expanded comprehension of the story. Although one is good and religious, doubt and curiosity pertaining to darkness will not only be of hinder, but also has the capacity to take control of an individual. The critics also showed clarification on how Hawthorne’s use of the forest (setting), everything within it, and the characters lead to an understanding of it being a dream. And since it is a dream (my interpretation), Brown is accountable for his anguish for his character allowed
Through his quest they symbolize the good and the evil he is battling with. In “Bedeviling of Young Goodman Brown,” Walsh argues, “First, Faith, Brown 's wife, represents religious faith and faith in mankind; second, Brown 's journey into the forest represents an inward journey into the black, despairing depths of his soul; third, the devil represents Brown 's darker, doubting side, which eventually believes that evil is the nature of mankind” ( Walsh 331). Meaning, Faith, his wife signifies the faith he has with the Lord and every bit of doubt, and curiosity has lead him to the forest where his faith is tried. Walsh scrutinizes the symbolistic aspect of the story and confirms how each aspect correlates with another, establishing the meaning of the story. In the beginning of his journey, the old man (devil) is encouraging him to enter the forest as he is aware of what is to come. The elder man manipulates Brown, “They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path […], I would fain be friends with you, for their sake” (Hawthorne 378). “They”, pertaining to Brown’s father and grandfather, who Brown knew to be of Christ were on the devil’s side and walked along that dark path as well, he uses them to persuade Brown deep into the forest to deprive him of his faith. Since, “The first people who are mentioned with …show more content…
In the “Bedeviling of Young Goodman Brown”, Thomas F. Walsh Jr observations showed how the characters roles impacted the story and how the forest itself resembled hell. “The Reader in Young Goodman Brown”, by Sheldon W. Liebman had a different approach of the story and focused her interpretation on the motive of the story. They both entailed insights that supported my insight of the story, as well as expanded comprehension of the story. Although one is good and religious, doubt and curiosity pertaining to darkness will not only be of hinder, but also has the capacity to take control of an individual. The critics also showed clarification on how Hawthorne’s use of the forest (setting), everything within it, and the characters lead to an understanding of it being a dream. And since it is a dream (my interpretation), Brown is accountable for his anguish for his character allowed