The Importance Of Faith In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

The story Young Goodman Brown and Religion shared very similar things we face as humans every day. Whether it’s the lack of faith, fear, or finding yourself in temptation. In fact, the story also displays how Brown believes he was a good Christian, but yet he lacks faith in what he believes is the truth. In my opinion; I do believe that Young Goodman Browns dream was a premonition of something yet to come into his life. We as readers can see that Young Goodman Brown was facing a trail of faith and his walk with the Lord. As a reader the question that comes to mind after reading Young Goodman Brown’s story, Can fear hinder your faith? Yes I do believe that fear can hinder your faith because while Young Goodman Brown left his wife faith behind, so Brown begins to have fear whether or not should he leave.

Whether or not Brown’s experience was a dream? Young Goodman Brown experience is a real life experience, testing of his faith when he entered the woods alone. While in the woods Brown noticed fear started to take over his life so on the other hand, there was an old man in the woods who Brown noticed was there talking to him while he was
on his way into the forest. While in the forest Brown began to face many different tails of his faith whether or not if he really was going to give into the temptations or learn how to stand on his faith.
What evidence is in the story to support the dream theory?
We as readers can see that one good example of Young Goodman Brown dream theory was “My journey, as thou callest it, forth and back again, must needs be done twixt now and sunrise (Pickering 585)”.
It was right there and then when Brown wanted to go after his dreams to see what it was all about. In fact, he left his wife Faith and being his journey into the woods when all his faith went always. While he was in the woods he meet an old man that look similar to his father. On the other hand when he got close the old man began to ask him questions. Later on while Brown was in the forest he noticed some of his church friends was there as well. He then began to question his faith and his walk with God. Later on in the chapter one of the oldest church members was taking part of the evil celebration with the Serpent known as the
devil.
(What about the theory that it was a real experience? Does it matter why? Or why not?)
As a reader I do believe that his dream was a real life experience because in the story we know that Young Goodman Brown is a Christian. As we read a bit more into the story we can see that Brown faith is being tried because of the different temptations he faces along the way by the Devil he meets while he was in the woods. In fact, I doesn’t matter whether or not Brown was going to standup for his faith or was he going to join in the group with the others in the story. Most of the members who Brown went to church with all seem to do the wrong things and fall from God or back slide running from the calling on their life. One thing the devil will try to do to Christians is try to play mind games on them. Its like he is testing them to see how strong they are to know what’s wrong from right.
What about the issue of religion in the story?
The story Young Goodman told us that there are many differences when it comes to religion. For example, when we see as readers of the story there was the lack of faith, fear came into a Christian’s heart, lust, temptation from devil leading Christians away from God. Browns faith decreased when he entered into the woods alone. When he noticed the strange old man looking similar to his father walking towards him in the woods. One example, of the issue of religion in the story are……….
Does the story suggest anything about religion? Its value?
At one point in the story we did learn that Young Goodman Brown did have great faith in his walk with God along with his innocent wife faith. Brown begins to loss his faith when he noticed his Wife pink ribbon falling from the sky to the ground, on the other hand, Brown left shocked about what really just happened to his wife’s ribbon. In the story we learn that Brown started to give up on his life when he lost his wife faith to the devil, Brown saw nothing good in this world to live for anymore.
It’s Weakness? At one point in the story we can see as readers, it almost seemed to me that Brown lost everything he ever cared for, it was just slipping away through his fingers. Brown even lost faith in his own religion and whether or not is there any good on earth left. On the other hand, one thing that came to my mind from the Bible is “Faith without works is death (KJV)”.
Are there problems with Religion or do the problems come from people interpretation?
They are many different things that is wrong with religion as we can see in our society. However, I do believe that the problems come from people interpretation.
What about Brown? He believes he is a good Christian? Is he?
Young Goodman Brown is a really good Christian.
At the end of the story, he see himself as holier than his neighbors is he?
Does Hawthorne suggest an answer?