Young Goodman Brown Allegory Essay

Human impulse coming into conflict with societal laws and norms is an oft-explored subject of literature, from Antigone to The Lord of the Flies. Different methods are used by authors of different periods and cultures, but the core question remains the same: when what you want and what others expect are found in opposition, what is the most righteous course of action? What if society’s expectations aren’t tyrannical, but entirely just? Is it still better to follow one’s heart? The use of symbols in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” constructs an allegory that demonstrates the struggle typically experienced by members of moral and religious societies: the struggle of sin’s alluring presence versus adherence to strict societal guidelines, in this case the …show more content…
First off, Brown’s reason for leaving his Faith and traveling to the woods is never truly given, though it’s implied that his meeting the old traveller was somewhat anticipated (“...with a tremor in his voice, caused by the sudden appearance of his companion, though not wholly unexpected.”) and that Brown dreaded whatever work that was to be done during his journey to the woods (“...there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done to-night”). This ambiguity leaves the story open to interpretation, and expands the allegorical context to apply to any departure from faith to pursue dark means, even for an honorable or necessary purpose. However, there are yet more moral implications to this work than can be found in the first half. The end of “Young Goodman Brown” describes how Brown’s suspicion and distrust of others led to his gloomy and bitter death. Again, Hawthorne employs ambiguity in this stage of the narrative: was the incident in the woods a true demonstration of Brown’s fellow townsfolk being sinners and devil worshipers, or was it simply a bad