Short Story Analysis Young Goodman Brown Essay - 1115 Words

History has known many a great author, but none more intriguing than Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne’s ability to weave stories through the use of complex language and early puritan society narratives has long been a topic of study amongst scholars and young adults, alike. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† explores the idea of good vs. evil and draws many parallels to the life of Nathaniel Hawthorne. It is often debated whether man is born innately good or evil. In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† it is possible to see Hawthorne’s stance on this. However, before delving too deeply into this short story, it is crucial to the understanding of the narrative that the life of Nathaniel Hawthorne is critically analyzed. According to John Clendenning, Nathaniel was†¦show more content†¦Goodman Brown is a spiritual man and, much like Hawthorne, is descended from a line of devout Christians. When he first enters the woods, he is met by an old man, carrying a staff resem bling a serpent. Upon the first few moments of their encounter, the old man pronounces the following: â€Å"I helped your grandfather, the constable, when he lashed the Quaker woman so smartly through the streets of Salem; and it was I that brought your father a pitch-pine knot, kindled at my own hearth, to set fire to an Indian village, in King Philips war.† It is very obvious, even from the first line, that Hawthorne has drawn upon his own experiences to develop his characters. Similar to William Hathorne, the grandfather of Goodman Brown believed in the persecution of Quakers. When the old man, who is akin to the Devil, reveals this we can understand just how evil Hawthorne finds the deeds of his grandfather. In the case of good vs. evil, it can be seen that Goodman Brown represents a sense of moral ambiguity, or even innocence. He goes to the Old Man in search of something which is unknown to the reader, and possibly even himself. Despite protests from Faith, who is an analogy for humanity or good, Goodman Brown rushes from his home in a frenzy to meet The Old Man, who represents the evil and temptation of the world (Wilson). TheShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Short Story Young Goodman Brown 995 Words   |  4 Pagescoexisting with many different diversities. In the short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† Hawthorn uses symbol ism to show the struggle of keeping faith in the face of sin with the character’s names, the path through the woods, and the final ritual. One of the biggest use of symbolism that Nathaniel Hawthorne uses in this story is the character’s names, the ones I am going to discuss are Faith and Goodman Brown. â€Å"But where is Faith?† Thought Goodman Brown; and, as hope came into his heart, he trembled† (HawthorneRead MoreShort Story Analysis: Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne851 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Young Goodman Brown, by Nathaniel Hawthorne Introduction Hawthornes short story Young Goodman Brown is a tale of innocence lost. Set in New England during the Puritan era, the protagonist, Goodman Brown, goes for a walk in the woods one night and meets the devil who tells him. Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again, to the communion of your race. According to Levin this story is a condemnation of the hypocrisy of the puritan ethic. The Salem witch trialsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Young Goodman Brown And Other Hawthorne Short Stories 922 Words   |  4 Pagesreader that Brown was given many chances to return home safe. Instead, he decided to take a different path, which filled his life with darkness. Also, Brown was never encouraged to enter the dark forest of sin, but rather to satisfy his curiosity about the happening there and perhaps even to take part in them. As a result of entering the forest Brown encounters himself with a man who appears to represent the devil. Several times the man tells Brown he is free to go back home, but brown feels intrigueRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1422 Words   |  6 Pageseighteenth-century author, Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. He was most famous for his writings The Scarlet Letter, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† and an abundant array of other books and short stories. The stories that are mentioned contain a copious amount of symbolism throughout the entirety of each book. All the stories that he ever wrote have an underlying meaning and the symbolism was hidden within in the names, characters, places, and actions that happenedRead MoreComparing Young Goodman Brown And Child By Tiger1597 Words   |  7 Pages Comparison of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"Child by Tiger† ENGL 102: Literature and Composition FALL C 2017 Jennifer Person L29216090 MLA Thesis: â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† by Nathaniel Hawthorne and â€Å"The Child by Tiger† by Thomas Wolfe are two short stories written to portray people struggle with society. Although the two stories were set in two different cultures and time periods they are similar in their religion and faith. In these two stories their belief systems are challengedRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown from a Moral Standpoint1352 Words   |  6 PagesHawthorne discovered that his ancestors were founders and Puritan leaders of the Salem witch trials. Shortly after this tragic finding, he wrote â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† a tale that is considered one of the greatest in American literature. Analyzing Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work from a moral perspective can help illuminate his short story: â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† Hawthorne was both prideful and embarrassed in the actions of his ancestors. According to Jacqueline Shoemaker, Hawthorne felt pride in seeingRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown882 Words   |  4 PagesLiterary Analysis of Young Goodman Brown Many aspects of human nature have changed over the centuries, but one thing that people have in common is the temptation of evil. From Adam and Eve eating fruit from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden to the Iraqi hijackers who flew two airplanes into the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001 killing thousands of innocent people, evil has always been a part of this world. In an effort to portray the corruption of the Salem witch trials, NathanielRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown964 Words   |  4 PagesCriticism Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is a short story in which the author attempts to convey several different messages or themes throughout the literary piece. Themes in literary works can sometimes be better understood by analyzing the piece with a specific literary criticism technique. A few of these literary criticism techniques include Marxist, Formalism, and Reader Response just to name a few. Given Hawthorne’s style of writing and this short story in particular, a reader orRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown Essay(Symbolism)1543 Words   |  7 PagesIBEnglish III 13 September 2011 â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† Analysis One of the factors that shaped the New World was religion; it was a pillar in the fledgling society and a reason for migration for so many Europeans. Puritanism was a major belief system that held strongly throughout the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a nineteenth century American novelist and short story writer, composed the story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† which takes place in Salem. AllRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1543 Words   |  7 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne s short story of Young Goodman Brown, the author uses symbolism and allegories in order to showcase the Puritan faith as well as man s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will break down the techniques that the author uses to critique the puritan society and to show the difference between how people appear to be in society and the true colors that they are hidden inside of them. There has been a lot of great authors in our time, but none more interesting than