Not everyone is who you think they are. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's story “Young Goodman Brown” the main character, Goodman Brown, is sure he knows most of the people in his very religious community of Salem. As brown is tempted by the forces of evil he slowly sees the people he's known for so long for who they really are. This all leads to the theme of if righteous people around us are really that righteous and makes the reader question if faith is really worth it. This deeply spiritual theme is supported by the symbolism in the characters and the setting.
Hawthorne uses symbolism in his characters, such as Faith and the traveler, to support the theme of his short story “Young Goodman Brown”. First, in the beginning of the story, we are …show more content…
For starters, the path is like faith and Faith, both real and symbolic. The path through the woods is very dark and ominous which frightens Brown at first. When Goodman Brown talks about the path he refers to it physically but also as a spiritual path of life “first name of Brown that ever took this path” (Hawthorne 399). After Brown sees Faith's pink ribbons floating away he flies down the path “he seemed to fly along the path rather than to walk or run” (Hawthorne 402). Although brown was in fact going very fast physically down the path he was also going down the metaphorical path to darkness and destruction. Secondly, there is the clearing in the woods that is at the end of the dark path. The clearing is very symbolic of a church. Along the edge of the clearing some of the tall pines are lit on fire are symbolic of candles frequently lit at religious masses “surrounded by four blazing pines” (Hawthorne 403). Then there is the ominous rock altar that is a major factor to why the clearing is symbolic of a church “arose a rock...natural resemblance either to an altar or a pulpit” (Hawthorne 403). An altar is a key factor to any church or religious place. The symbolism that Hawthorne uses in this story's setting helps support the theme.
Goodman Brown eventually resists the devil but he is unsure whether his wife did or not. He lives the rest of his life wondering if what he experienced was real or just a dream. Goodman Brown cannot see the people around him as righteous as they once were to him but in the end his faith saved him. This is supported by the symbolism in the characters, Faith and the traveler, and setting, the path and the
Hawthorne uses symbolism in his characters, such as Faith and the traveler, to support the theme of his short story “Young Goodman Brown”. First, in the beginning of the story, we are …show more content…
For starters, the path is like faith and Faith, both real and symbolic. The path through the woods is very dark and ominous which frightens Brown at first. When Goodman Brown talks about the path he refers to it physically but also as a spiritual path of life “first name of Brown that ever took this path” (Hawthorne 399). After Brown sees Faith's pink ribbons floating away he flies down the path “he seemed to fly along the path rather than to walk or run” (Hawthorne 402). Although brown was in fact going very fast physically down the path he was also going down the metaphorical path to darkness and destruction. Secondly, there is the clearing in the woods that is at the end of the dark path. The clearing is very symbolic of a church. Along the edge of the clearing some of the tall pines are lit on fire are symbolic of candles frequently lit at religious masses “surrounded by four blazing pines” (Hawthorne 403). Then there is the ominous rock altar that is a major factor to why the clearing is symbolic of a church “arose a rock...natural resemblance either to an altar or a pulpit” (Hawthorne 403). An altar is a key factor to any church or religious place. The symbolism that Hawthorne uses in this story's setting helps support the theme.
Goodman Brown eventually resists the devil but he is unsure whether his wife did or not. He lives the rest of his life wondering if what he experienced was real or just a dream. Goodman Brown cannot see the people around him as righteous as they once were to him but in the end his faith saved him. This is supported by the symbolism in the characters, Faith and the traveler, and setting, the path and the