Analysis

In this story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, young Goodman Brown is on a journey of self discovery, exploring his spiritual beliefs. A walk through the forest at midnight becomes the focal point of the story of young Goodman Brown, detailing his thoughts and feelings of Satan, investigating how to resist Satan's evil effects on his life and those he loves (Hawthorne, 1835). At the end of the story of young Goodman Brown he is described as a bitter, mean distrustful man and spouse, we will probe why he is described as such after his walk in the forest. Goodman Brown sets out on a walk in the woods to a meeting he is to attend leaving behind in his house his new young bride "Faith." Goodman Brown sees his wife as weak, fair, pure and unsuspecting while seeing himself as a good Christian and honest upright man. Young Goodman Brown sees himself as a virtuous man out for a walk in dark and mysterious woods. Along the path he finds people he recognizes such as a travel companion that he begins to walk with, many of the people he meets he has had relationships over time with. Goody Cloyse is the first person he meets in the forest where Goodman Brown remembers her as an upright Godly woman from the church who taught him his Catechism. Goody Cloyse it seems is friends with Goodman's companion travelers after all and hints that she too is going to the mysterious meeting in the heart of the woods. Goodman Brown hears horses in the distance that come near his hiding place and passes by but not before he hears and recognizes Deacon Gookin and his minister as the riders on the horses that seem to be going to the same mysterious meeting deep into the woods. As the early morning hours are passing Goodman Brown gives secrets that he is going to a mysterious meeting that will need him to resist the devil himself. Goodman Brown has the belief that with his pure and faithful spouse along with his righteous relationship with the Lord himself he can resist the devil.