Book Analysis: Young Goodman Brown
Nathaniel Hawthorne
“YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN”
(1835)
Plot Summary
At Salem village in one evening, young Goodman Brown left his wife, Faith, to do some quest in the forest alone. During his way, he found an old man who accompanied Brown, persuading him to change his belief. He hesitated. Soon after, when they walked past the good people together with Faith, the old man tricked him accusing them as sinners. Eventually, he lost his belief. After he went back to the village, his attitude towards these people was changed. Pessimistically, he only saw others as sinners. Finally, he spent his life gloomily until the day he died.
Arrangement of the Events in the Story * Chronological Order (From sunset to sunrise)
Plot Development
Exposition
At the street of Salem village at sunset, after 3 months marriage, Young Goodman Brown prepared to leave his wife, Faith, to journey into the forest alone even though his wife begged him not to go that time.
Rising Action * The Young Goodman Brown entered the forest and met an old man who apparently looked like him by chance. They journeyed together inside the forest. * The old man started persuading the young man to lose faith in his ancestors and the ones whom he trusted and tried to give him a staff encircled with the serpent, but the young man hesitated and rejected to get the staff from the old man. * They passed by Goody Cloyse, the ministry, Deacon Gookin, along with his wife joining the ritual. As the deeper they walk into the forest, the less faith the young had. * He received the staff and suddenly got to the ceremony. He saw everyone he used to trust at the ceremony. At first, he hoped his wife would not join the ritual, but he soon realized that his wife took part in the ritual. Climax * He tried to save his wife from receiving the sacrament of baptism. In the next moment, his wife disappeared, and he found himself alone.
Falling Action * He was doomed to accept that there
“YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN”
(1835)
Plot Summary
At Salem village in one evening, young Goodman Brown left his wife, Faith, to do some quest in the forest alone. During his way, he found an old man who accompanied Brown, persuading him to change his belief. He hesitated. Soon after, when they walked past the good people together with Faith, the old man tricked him accusing them as sinners. Eventually, he lost his belief. After he went back to the village, his attitude towards these people was changed. Pessimistically, he only saw others as sinners. Finally, he spent his life gloomily until the day he died.
Arrangement of the Events in the Story * Chronological Order (From sunset to sunrise)
Plot Development
Exposition
At the street of Salem village at sunset, after 3 months marriage, Young Goodman Brown prepared to leave his wife, Faith, to journey into the forest alone even though his wife begged him not to go that time.
Rising Action * The Young Goodman Brown entered the forest and met an old man who apparently looked like him by chance. They journeyed together inside the forest. * The old man started persuading the young man to lose faith in his ancestors and the ones whom he trusted and tried to give him a staff encircled with the serpent, but the young man hesitated and rejected to get the staff from the old man. * They passed by Goody Cloyse, the ministry, Deacon Gookin, along with his wife joining the ritual. As the deeper they walk into the forest, the less faith the young had. * He received the staff and suddenly got to the ceremony. He saw everyone he used to trust at the ceremony. At first, he hoped his wife would not join the ritual, but he soon realized that his wife took part in the ritual. Climax * He tried to save his wife from receiving the sacrament of baptism. In the next moment, his wife disappeared, and he found himself alone.
Falling Action * He was doomed to accept that there