The Importance Of Transcendentalism In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

human kind. There was a popular movement in the late 1820’s called Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the idea that at the core every human is inherently good and that society and institutions corrupt us and turn us evil. This belief was very popular and was found in many literature pieces during the time. Nathaniel Hawthorne was very involved in this movement. Turner writes, “It Becomes Clear that Hawthorne was at home with both transcendental thought and language, but he can by no means be called a transcendentalist” . This is because Hawthorne was mostly on the other side of this movement and took a role in reforming. Turner explains that the quality of skepticism that intrigues Hawthorne o this movement is the same skepticism that …show more content…
Leo B. Levy is an amazing writer who graduated from Arizona State University and became the heard of the department of English there. Lev depicts Hawthorns work as brilliant and breaks down the themes and ideologies of the story “Young Goodman Brown” Levy, unlike any other critique, addressed the problem that it was not clear whether the story actually took place or if it was all a dream. There is no way to actually tell if Brown is in a dream or if all the events that transpired actually happened. Most readers believe one or the other; However, Levy believes that it can very well be both cases. The fact that Hawthorne made tis unclear adds to the story. Many critiques have tried to say that since the ending has no coherent ending that it is unfinished. This is all on purpose though, and Levy states that by not telling the reader whether it was a dream or not helps reinforce Hawthorns ideas. Hawthorne believes that conscious lives and dreams are bound together. That life itself is a dream of terrifying truths. This is where the anti- Transcendentalism is shown. Hawthorne believe in the core of humans and the world itself is evil and dread. SO for those readers who are arguing whether the story is a dream or not, it does not matter whether it was a dream or not, it matters how the protagonist acts and …show more content…
McKeithan first starts off by reviewing other critiques about Nathaniel Hawthorne to get a better understand where the general consensus is at and what other authors have to say about his work. McKeithan has noticed a trend of very similar and common themes amongst varies other analysis. To name a few of some common themes in Hawthorns writing: Reality of sin, the secrete of hypocrisy, the devastating effects of moral skepticism, and much more. McKeithan wants to talk about one theme in particular though. Sin and its blighting effects. It was a rather unclear what Goodman Browns sins were but the effects are shown. Brown becomes a cynicism, one who lacks faith, and moral skepticism. It is clear that Hawthorne is trying to convey the message of falsely judging people similar to the Salem witch trials. Just how Hawthorns’ ancestors accused people of being malicious witches, Brown is accusing people of being in satanic cults. Brown is judging people based off his own evil ad dark views. His cynicism aims to destroy. McKeithan states,” Goodman Brown…had been married to a lovely young woman symbolizing religious faith…he was not loyal to faith…he had confidence in his ability to indulge in the sin-whatever it was- once more and then resists all future temptations” . Brown betrayed his faith in religion by flowing in the devil with confidence that no