Symbolism And Allegory In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

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Nathaniel Hawthorne is an American author that is known for his specific style of writing and his detailed stories about his personal life and those around him through his perspective. Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” is a short story takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, a rather religious town -which is also where Hawthorne is from-. The story concentrates on Young Goodman Brown and his journey throughout the forest as well as the discoveries he makes. Hawthorne’s stories uses his diction, symbolism, and allegories within his pieces to convey his message, everything isn’t always what it seems. A “Young Goodman Brown” begins by introducing a newly wed couple, Goodman Brown, and his wife, Faith, as he’s kissing her goodbye before he heads …show more content…

Later as Brown begins his return home, horsemen appear in the forest. These horsemen happen to be the minister and Deacon Gookin, discussing some Indians who know a lot about devilry and a young woman who will be inducted, which the author implies is Faith. After managing to escape, he comes across a group of townspeople, Indian priests, and criminals, alongside a veiled woman. The woman promises to reveal all the town 's dark secrets of seductions and murders. Goodman Brown proceeds to the gathering only to reveal that this woman is Faith and he attempts to persuade her to resist. The story soon ends with Brown waking up the next morning in bed next to Faith, as if the past events of that night had never occurred. Hawthorne’s overall message throughout this short story is that everyone possess some kind of evil, even those who represent good. Not everyone wears their true colors on their sleeves. He also portrays the message that more specifically the people of Salem all speak the word of God yet their actions are rather devilish and evil. Young Goodman Brown is meant to represent Nathaniel Hawthorne’s true feelings and opinions of those around him, that everyone has their dark secrets and no one is truly

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