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:36_4_12:young goodman brown :36_4_12:
Young Goodman Brown | Summary
"Young Goodman Brown" opens with Young Goodman Brown about to embark on an evening's journey. His young wife, Faith, fearful for some unknown reason, beseeches him to delay his journey. Goodman Brown, however, stresses that he has a task that must be accomplished before sunrise, and so the newlyweds reluctantly part. As he walks down the street, Goodman Brown chides himself for leaving Faith while he goes on his journey and resolves that, after this night, he will stay by the side of his good and pious wife. Pleased with himself, Goodman Brown then hurries through the forest to accomplish
Characters
Young Goodman Brown: The main character of this story. He is having a crisis with Faith and is being tempted by the devil.
Faith: Goodman Brown’s wife. She also can be seen as his Faith.
The man (Devil): He is the person who Brown goes to meet in the forest and does the tempting on young Goodman Brown. He can appear as different people and represents the evil inside a person
Goody Cloyse: An old lady who taught Goodman Brown when he was a boy and is someone he turns to for spiritual guidance.
Deacon Gookin: Another person Goodman Brown considers a spiritual guide.
The minister: The town minister of Salem.
Type of work
In many ways, much of this tale is allegorical in nature, partly because of the mutability of all of the symbols. If this were an allegory it could be summarized by stating that this is one man’s realization that he is surrounded by opposing forces without ever knowing which of them are good or which are evil. Faith (in both senses of the word) is the light in the story, the only way one can be saved, yet by walking into the forest (which is a symbol for that which is dark and mysterious) with a man who literally clings to the serpent (an allegorical image for the Devil or evil incarnate) Goodman is leaving behind his Faith and asking for the truth about who (or what) is good or evil
Primordial Symbols
While Faith represents the known establishments surrounding Brown, the forest seems to means lot more than just land with lots of trees. The forest, described as "an unseen multitude" filled with "innumerable trunks and thick boughs overhead," represents the ever complicated unknowns of human nature and the subconscious. The forest is personified in Brown's mind, "peopled with frightful sounds; the creaking of trees, the howling of wild beasts...the echoes of the forest laughing like demons around him" . These descriptions foreshadow Brown's perception of human nature as evil and extend this belief not only to humans but to all living things., the figure leaves these parting words, "Welcome again, my children, to the communion of your race!" Brown is joining the anti-establishment version of the typical church communion in the belief that the world is full of evil deceitful people. The term "race" is not exclusive of any humans, re-emphazing that evil is EVERYWHERE, according to Brown's new perspective
dark forests (in "Young Goodman Brown") as danger, obscurity, confusion, and the unknown or with evil, sin, and death. a river (the passage of time), overcast sky (gloom, depression, despair), lamb (innocence, vulnerability), violent storm (wrath, inconsolable grief), flowers (delicacy, perishability, beauty), mountain (obstacle, challenge), eagle (majesty, freedom) the color white (purity, innocence), the color red (anger, passion, war, blood), the color green (new life, hope), water (birth or rebirth), autumn (old age), winter (death).
The symbols of sunset and night, which reflect the two opposing forces of good and evil in the text. This is especially apparent when we consider that the light of late day allows him to see Faith with love whereas when he sees her in darkness;It is also worth mentioning that pink ribbon is symbolic of the purity of faith.
Themes
Theme 1 How the Puritans’ strict moral code and overemphasis on the sinfulness of humankind foster undue suspicion and distrust. Goodman Brown’s experience in the forest–whether dream or reality–causes him to lose his faith in others and die an unhappy man. Note the last words of the story: “They carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone; for his dying hour was gloom.”
Theme 2 The realization that evil can infect people who seem upright. Goodman Brown discovers that even highly respected people in Salem fall victim to the forces of darkness. Today–when corporate executives cheat stockholders, politicians lie to win elections, and members of the clergy defraud their congregations–this theme still resonates.
Theme 3 • One man’s virtue is another man’s sin, and vice versa. “There is no good on earth,” Goodman Brown observes, “and sin is but a name.” In other words, whether an action is good or evil appears to depend on who is viewing the action. The zealotry of a Puritan punishing a wrongdoer–like Goodman Brown’s grandfather lashing “a Quaker woman so smartly through the streets”–might be praised as a just act by another Puritan but condemned as an inhumane act by non-Puritans. These opposing views of the same action seem to confuse Brown; he is like a modern man who is told that “everything goes” or that one moral position is as valid as another, opposing one. There are, of course, absolute moral values which should prevail for everyone, regardless of their religion or lack of it. For example, murder is always wrong; child abuse is always wrong. However, the devil figure succeeds in confounding Brown on what is truly right and what is truly wrong.
Points
- Hawthorne uses characters who are leaders of their community and symbolistic settings to show that despite how prominent a person is he or she is capable of evil under the right conditions
- Through the use of community leaders, Hawthorne shows that there is
evil in everyone
- Everybody commits sins, but not everyone accepts sins.
- Loss of Innocence is a major theme of the story
- The main point about this story is was it real or a dream? Hawthorne asks that question himself at the end. Did Goodman Brown fall asleep in the forest and dream the whole thing or did he really meet the devil?
- Faith represents more than just his wife. It can be religious faith or faith in mankind.
- Remember, Hawthorne lived in Salem where they had the witch trials. The Puritans put a lot of innocent people to death in the name or religion. This story says a lot about how people may appear to be very religious but still are evil.
- Why did the devil appear to Goodman Brown to resemble his father? Maybe to convince him?
Dream vs Reality
Hawthorne leaves open to question whether Goodman Brown’s experience is real or imagined, as in a dream. Keep in mind that normal, mentally stable people–like you or those around you–sometimes accept delusions, fantasies, or fabrications as real events. Keep in mind, too, that they sometimes see evil in a person who has done no evil.
:36_4_12:young goodman brown :36_4_12:
Young Goodman Brown | Summary
"Young Goodman Brown" opens with Young Goodman Brown about to embark on an evening's journey. His young wife, Faith, fearful for some unknown reason, beseeches him to delay his journey. Goodman Brown, however, stresses that he has a task that must be accomplished before sunrise, and so the newlyweds reluctantly part. As he walks down the street, Goodman Brown chides himself for leaving Faith while he goes on his journey and resolves that, after this night, he will stay by the side of his good and pious wife. Pleased with himself, Goodman Brown then hurries through the forest to accomplish
Characters
Young Goodman Brown: The main character of this story. He is having a crisis with Faith and is being tempted by the devil.
Faith: Goodman Brown’s wife. She also can be seen as his Faith.
The man (Devil): He is the person who Brown goes to meet in the forest and does the tempting on young Goodman Brown. He can appear as different people and represents the evil inside a person
Goody Cloyse: An old lady who taught Goodman Brown when he was a boy and is someone he turns to for spiritual guidance.
Deacon Gookin: Another person Goodman Brown considers a spiritual guide.
The minister: The town minister of Salem.
Type of work
In many ways, much of this tale is allegorical in nature, partly because of the mutability of all of the symbols. If this were an allegory it could be summarized by stating that this is one man’s realization that he is surrounded by opposing forces without ever knowing which of them are good or which are evil. Faith (in both senses of the word) is the light in the story, the only way one can be saved, yet by walking into the forest (which is a symbol for that which is dark and mysterious) with a man who literally clings to the serpent (an allegorical image for the Devil or evil incarnate) Goodman is leaving behind his Faith and asking for the truth about who (or what) is good or evil
Primordial Symbols
While Faith represents the known establishments surrounding Brown, the forest seems to means lot more than just land with lots of trees. The forest, described as "an unseen multitude" filled with "innumerable trunks and thick boughs overhead," represents the ever complicated unknowns of human nature and the subconscious. The forest is personified in Brown's mind, "peopled with frightful sounds; the creaking of trees, the howling of wild beasts...the echoes of the forest laughing like demons around him" . These descriptions foreshadow Brown's perception of human nature as evil and extend this belief not only to humans but to all living things., the figure leaves these parting words, "Welcome again, my children, to the communion of your race!" Brown is joining the anti-establishment version of the typical church communion in the belief that the world is full of evil deceitful people. The term "race" is not exclusive of any humans, re-emphazing that evil is EVERYWHERE, according to Brown's new perspective
dark forests (in "Young Goodman Brown") as danger, obscurity, confusion, and the unknown or with evil, sin, and death. a river (the passage of time), overcast sky (gloom, depression, despair), lamb (innocence, vulnerability), violent storm (wrath, inconsolable grief), flowers (delicacy, perishability, beauty), mountain (obstacle, challenge), eagle (majesty, freedom) the color white (purity, innocence), the color red (anger, passion, war, blood), the color green (new life, hope), water (birth or rebirth), autumn (old age), winter (death).
The symbols of sunset and night, which reflect the two opposing forces of good and evil in the text. This is especially apparent when we consider that the light of late day allows him to see Faith with love whereas when he sees her in darkness;It is also worth mentioning that pink ribbon is symbolic of the purity of faith.
Themes
Theme 1 How the Puritans’ strict moral code and overemphasis on the sinfulness of humankind foster undue suspicion and distrust. Goodman Brown’s experience in the forest–whether dream or reality–causes him to lose his faith in others and die an unhappy man. Note the last words of the story: “They carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone; for his dying hour was gloom.”
Theme 2 The realization that evil can infect people who seem upright. Goodman Brown discovers that even highly respected people in Salem fall victim to the forces of darkness. Today–when corporate executives cheat stockholders, politicians lie to win elections, and members of the clergy defraud their congregations–this theme still resonates.
Theme 3 • One man’s virtue is another man’s sin, and vice versa. “There is no good on earth,” Goodman Brown observes, “and sin is but a name.” In other words, whether an action is good or evil appears to depend on who is viewing the action. The zealotry of a Puritan punishing a wrongdoer–like Goodman Brown’s grandfather lashing “a Quaker woman so smartly through the streets”–might be praised as a just act by another Puritan but condemned as an inhumane act by non-Puritans. These opposing views of the same action seem to confuse Brown; he is like a modern man who is told that “everything goes” or that one moral position is as valid as another, opposing one. There are, of course, absolute moral values which should prevail for everyone, regardless of their religion or lack of it. For example, murder is always wrong; child abuse is always wrong. However, the devil figure succeeds in confounding Brown on what is truly right and what is truly wrong.
Points
- Hawthorne uses characters who are leaders of their community and symbolistic settings to show that despite how prominent a person is he or she is capable of evil under the right conditions
- Through the use of community leaders, Hawthorne shows that there is
evil in everyone
- Everybody commits sins, but not everyone accepts sins.
- Loss of Innocence is a major theme of the story
- The main point about this story is was it real or a dream? Hawthorne asks that question himself at the end. Did Goodman Brown fall asleep in the forest and dream the whole thing or did he really meet the devil?
- Faith represents more than just his wife. It can be religious faith or faith in mankind.
- Remember, Hawthorne lived in Salem where they had the witch trials. The Puritans put a lot of innocent people to death in the name or religion. This story says a lot about how people may appear to be very religious but still are evil.
- Why did the devil appear to Goodman Brown to resemble his father? Maybe to convince him?
Dream vs Reality
Hawthorne leaves open to question whether Goodman Brown’s experience is real or imagined, as in a dream. Keep in mind that normal, mentally stable people–like you or those around you–sometimes accept delusions, fantasies, or fabrications as real events. Keep in mind, too, that they sometimes see evil in a person who has done no evil.