Comparing Eve's Diary And Young Goodman Brown

“Curiosity. Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why.” - Bernard Baruch. Questioning everything that has been taught to you can lead to discoveries that were never considered plausible. The uncontrollable desire to learn all that the world has to offer can change the way one understands their surroundings. In both Eve’s Diary and Young Goodman Brown the protagonist's intense thirst to discover the unknown leads to uncovering truths that were better left unexplored. Human curiosity, a fundamental part of human development involves asking ‘why?’ on the path to self-discovery. In this essay exploration fueled by human curiosity is evident in both stories. Setting affects the world these characters are exposed to, challenging them to

Both authors demonstrate how new knowledge can cause an individual's world to shift. In Eve’s Diary after Eve has ventured out into the world in order to gain an understanding of the world around her. She was no longer naive, now she was able to decipher what her world truly was. “Some things you CAN’T find out; but you will never know until you can’t by guessing and supposing: no, you have to be patient and go on experimenting until you find out you can’t find out.” (Eve’s Diary; pg 21) Eve allowed her newly found knowledge to sculpt her world into something more comprehensible and logical. Instead of just guessing and trying to make out what her world consisted of, Eve discovered her answers. In contrast, Young Goodman Brown has already been set in his understanding of the world. His venture outside his world caused Young Goodman Brown to doubt all that he’s ever known. “..when the congregation were singing a holy psalm, he could not listen because an anthem of sin rushed loudly upon his ear and drowned out the blessed strain.” (Young Goodman Brown; pg 9). All his faith, despite how shaky he had been in it before, was still solid. Having discovered that his faith is no longer as pure as he once thought, Goodman Brown no longer knows what his truth is. Everything he had taken comfort no longer has the same meaning. Goodman Brown is left asking why, regretting his decision to wander into the forest. He no longer knows who he truly is, because all he had based it off the ideals of his community, a community he no longer