Essay On Symbolism In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown
Symbolism in “Young Goodman Brown “
In his story “Young Goodman Brown”, Nathaniel Hawthorne creates an intriguing narrative in which a young husband, young Goodman Brown, leaves his wife Faith alone one night. Brown is lead to experience a night that would change his character forever. Hawthorne uses different symbols throughout the story including the name Faith, the pink ribbons and the staff to communicate the message to not lose faith.
One of the greatest symbols that Hawthorne uses is the name of Goodman Brown’s wife, Faith, as a symbol of Goodman Brown’s own faith. Also, her name symbolizes the goodness that is found in a young wife and his personal faith in goodness. The story shows he had to compromise his faith to even start into …show more content…
The devil’s staff which is encircled by a carved serpent, draws from the biblical symbol of the serpent as an evil demon. The staff makes clear that the old man is more demon than human and that Goodman Brown, when he takes the staff for himself, is on the path toward evil as well. Hawthorne used the serpent on the old man’s staff as a symbol of an evil demon. In the religious perspective, the staff is viewed as a symbol of an evil demon that represents the fruit that Adam and Eva ate from the forbidden tree. The staff is also in the shape of a snake; it represents deception and temptation. Also, in this story, it symbolizes the guilty purpose that has brought Brown to the forest. In the words of Goodwin “The story hints at the insufficiency of moral religious life, either as a means to root evil out of the human heart, or as a comfort to the righteous individual who turns away from corrupt human society”. This shows that evil is present in every man’s life and is up to the individual to choose between good and evil. When someone takes hold of the staff, they seem to travel faster through the forest. Likewise in real life, when people yield to temptation, they end up deeper into the mess than we
In his story “Young Goodman Brown”, Nathaniel Hawthorne creates an intriguing narrative in which a young husband, young Goodman Brown, leaves his wife Faith alone one night. Brown is lead to experience a night that would change his character forever. Hawthorne uses different symbols throughout the story including the name Faith, the pink ribbons and the staff to communicate the message to not lose faith.
One of the greatest symbols that Hawthorne uses is the name of Goodman Brown’s wife, Faith, as a symbol of Goodman Brown’s own faith. Also, her name symbolizes the goodness that is found in a young wife and his personal faith in goodness. The story shows he had to compromise his faith to even start into …show more content…
The devil’s staff which is encircled by a carved serpent, draws from the biblical symbol of the serpent as an evil demon. The staff makes clear that the old man is more demon than human and that Goodman Brown, when he takes the staff for himself, is on the path toward evil as well. Hawthorne used the serpent on the old man’s staff as a symbol of an evil demon. In the religious perspective, the staff is viewed as a symbol of an evil demon that represents the fruit that Adam and Eva ate from the forbidden tree. The staff is also in the shape of a snake; it represents deception and temptation. Also, in this story, it symbolizes the guilty purpose that has brought Brown to the forest. In the words of Goodwin “The story hints at the insufficiency of moral religious life, either as a means to root evil out of the human heart, or as a comfort to the righteous individual who turns away from corrupt human society”. This shows that evil is present in every man’s life and is up to the individual to choose between good and evil. When someone takes hold of the staff, they seem to travel faster through the forest. Likewise in real life, when people yield to temptation, they end up deeper into the mess than we