Faith In Young Goodman Brown

“My love and my Faith…” (Hawthorne 452). Young Goodman speaks out to his wife named Faith. Hawthorne does not subtly show this symbol. Faith throughout the story is a symbol of Young Goodman Brown’s faith. Throughout the story uses situations that happen to Brown and the presence of his wife to symbolize his faith. So the focus of the paper is that of the character of Faith, and will follow her chronologically through the story. Since the beginning of the story when Faith is introduced it is understood that she stands for the faith of Young Goodman Brown. Not only is her name Faith but the narrator says, “Faith, as the wife was aptly named…” (Hawthorne 452). In the beginning of the story it also introduces the symbol of Faith’s pink ribbons.
The end of the story illustrates for the reader the life of Young Goodman Brown after the events that happened in the woods. When Brown returns to his home Faith greets him with love and joy, her ribbons in her hair once again. However the last paragraph illustrates the bitterness, distaste, and gloom that surrounded Brown. “…for [Brown] has learned that according to the truths of his faith there is probably nothing but ‘misery unutterable’ in store for him…” (Connolly 310-11). He has made this event and eye-opening situation to pull further away from his actually faith and his wife Faith. Though Faith was beside him the faith inside him was gone. Another major way that Faith was used as a symbol of faith is her constant presence. Throughout the story Faith is someone that is by Young Goodman Brown’s side. Even when they come back from the woods and Brown is sad and distrustful she stays by his side. This is similar to our everyday faith. Even if we turn away from our faith, do terrible things, or distrust and judge everyone, faith will still be there for you waiting for you to return. In the beginning, middle, end, and throughout the story Hawthorne used Faith as a symbol of