Analytical Essay: An Analysis Of Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown”: Analysis

The short story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne describes the journey

and maturation of the protagonist Goodman Brown in Salem, Massachusetts during the 1800s.

Through this journey, he is accompanied by an evil character who is portrayed as the devil

himself. Together, Goodman Brown begins to question his faith as the devil shows him the true

nature of the people whom he loved and cared about. The events of this so called journey or

dream leaves him in a frozen emotional state by the end of it. He wonders whether what he

experienced was true, contemplating who is good or evil.

Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism as it is evident throughout the story which reveals
many themes to the reader. The most significant in the story are the characters’ names

“Goodman Brown” and his wife “Faith”.
Both of the names are symbolic and also resemble their

personalities. Being a Puritan, Goodman Brown is a man of God and resists any temptation

against evil. As he cried out, “With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against

the devil”(8). Fitting with his name, his strength of being the good man relates to his character

and his faith in God. On the other hand, his wife Faith has a name that appropriately fits her true

Ofiaza 2

nature. Hawthorne writes, “Faith as the wife aptly name, thrust her own pretty head into the

street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap while she called to Goodman

Brown” (3). Another type of symbolism given here is the pink ribbons that Faith is wearing as

it symbolizes purity and faith. An example of foreshadowing is also given when he leaves

Faith and his own faith for his errand. She tells him, “Pray tarry with me this night, dear

husband, of all nights in the year” (3). His wife has a feeling that this so called errand he
has

to take will cause him harm and she wants him to avoid it.

In the story, Hawthorne describes Goodman Brown’s journey through the forest as a

dark place, “..dreary road darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood

aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind” (3). It obviously

signifies the evil that is present in his journey and his path to return home won’t be easy. Once in

the forest, he meets a traveler who tells him that he’s late. Goodman Brown replies, “Faith kept

me back a while” (4). This response to the traveler meant that his faith in God caused him to

second guess on partaking on this journey. The traveler that Goodman Brown meets represents

the devil as Hawthorne writes, “..his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so

curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent”

(4). The staff that the traveler is holding symbolizes the devil as a serpent.

Minor characters in the story also had important meanings. For example, Goodman

Brown’s father and grandfather were Puritans just like himself, Goodman Brown says, “We have

Ofiaza 3

been a race of honest men and good Christians since the days of the martyrs” (4). The devil

replies that he has aided them before to sin. Goodman Brown refused to believe this and states

that none of them had said a word about causing sin. Soon after, Goodman Brown is shocked to

learn that his religious teacher Goody Cloyse and his minister, Deacon Gookin worship evil.

The theme that is present here is that even the most respected and best men can be corrupted by

evil. Goodman Brown’s family, teacher and minister were all good and well respected in the

community but changed ways by joining the world of sin.

Later in the story, the devil offers his staff to Goodman Brown but he decides not to

accept it. This decision to decline the staff was to show that he still had faith in God. Faith is

believing even when put to the highest test. Although, Goodman Brown is starting to question

his own faith once the devil showed him the true nature of the people he cared about. Goodman

Brown was put to the test of faith versus evil and succumbed to it. He gives in and takes the staff

that was being offered by the devil. Hawthorne writes, “...so that he laughed loud and long, did

Goodman Brown grasp his staff and set forth again, at such a rate that he seemed to fly along the

forest path,…leaving him in the heart of the dark wilderness, still rushing onward, with the

instinct that guides the mortal man to evil” (9). Goodman Brown’s resistance to evil has failed

and him taking the staff symbolizes the beginning of accepting evil into his life.

Another symbol of his entry to evil is the pink ribbon that Goodman Brown catches when

it falls from the sky. The ribbon symbolized his loss of faith. Brown says, “My Faith is gone!”(9)

Ofiaza 4

Along with his wife, Brown’s own faith in God is now gone. Also, the scene where the devil’s

communion takes place and the altars scorched in flames symbolizes Goodman Brown’s baptism

into evil. The evil that is existent in all of Salem is evident here as he sees everyone whom he

thought was good, lived the life of sin. Goodman Brown finally loses all of his faith. Another

important theme that is evident throughout the story is that someone’s belief can also be

someone else’s sin. Such an example is the practice of worshipping the devil is unholy to

Goodman Brown but religious to other people in Salem.

In conclusion, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism to show the main theme of sin and

shows that even a good man living a perfect life can succumb to evil and the world of sin. The

results of the experience leave Goodman Brown in the midst of hopelessness.

Works Cited

Hawthorne, Nathaniel “Young Goodman Brown”, Literature A Portable Anthology 2nd Ed.
Boston, MA Bedford/St. Martin’s 2009