The story "The Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story revolved around the belief of religion in the perspective of a man named Goodman Brown. The story leads us on into learning how Goodman Brown’s belief is put into question along with the loss of innocence after seeing corruption within his surroundings.
Goodman Brown leaves one day to spend the night out in the woods, not giving his wife, Faith, a reason. She begs and insists of him not leaving that night. However, she failed and Goodman Brown made his way out to complete his midnight deeds. Her name is no coincidence and is determined while you read the story. Faith represents her husband’s religious principle throughout the story. Goodman Brown wanders through the dark woods, letting us know that he fears the wilderness because there is no good in the forest. He quoted, “What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!” (Hawthorne, 1). As he strolls, he meets the devil, which we assume due to the description given to us. The devil is carrying a snakelike staff, which represents a biblical symbol of evil. The devil offers to give his staff to Goodman Brown to help along with his forest travel. This part in the story shows us how the devil can influence here in the real world and corrupt anyone, even one that is strictly religious and “pure” like Goodman Brown. …show more content…
Goodman Brown returned to the town thinking that he betrayed the devil and managed to escape. However, it seems that the devil knew what he was doing. He led Brown into becoming suspicious about his relationships with the people of his town and God, breaking whatever bond existed there forever. It is still a question of whether the events that occurred in the forest were a dream or reality. No matter which one it was, it seems that the loss of his innocence was
Goodman Brown leaves one day to spend the night out in the woods, not giving his wife, Faith, a reason. She begs and insists of him not leaving that night. However, she failed and Goodman Brown made his way out to complete his midnight deeds. Her name is no coincidence and is determined while you read the story. Faith represents her husband’s religious principle throughout the story. Goodman Brown wanders through the dark woods, letting us know that he fears the wilderness because there is no good in the forest. He quoted, “What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!” (Hawthorne, 1). As he strolls, he meets the devil, which we assume due to the description given to us. The devil is carrying a snakelike staff, which represents a biblical symbol of evil. The devil offers to give his staff to Goodman Brown to help along with his forest travel. This part in the story shows us how the devil can influence here in the real world and corrupt anyone, even one that is strictly religious and “pure” like Goodman Brown. …show more content…
Goodman Brown returned to the town thinking that he betrayed the devil and managed to escape. However, it seems that the devil knew what he was doing. He led Brown into becoming suspicious about his relationships with the people of his town and God, breaking whatever bond existed there forever. It is still a question of whether the events that occurred in the forest were a dream or reality. No matter which one it was, it seems that the loss of his innocence was