Comparing Goodman Brown And The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

The concept of good vs evil has been used through the history of literature and is a theme presented in literature throughout time. Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson are both short stories that eloquently present this theme of good vs evil and how they coexist within a community. Goodman Brown Details the story of Goodman Brown and his peculiar adventures while traveling in the deep woods, while The Lottery details the story of a lottery that is played in a small community of 300 people where the winner is killed. Both of these stories are also clear examples of how social customs are forcibly done in a community no matter how harsh or evil they may seem to others. Because of these set traditions being

evil and how it has an effect on people, such as the main protagonist Goodman Brown. In the beginning of the story Goodman Brown is set off on a journey and enters a deep dark forest. Upon entering this dark forest he encounters a man with a very strange on omniscient demeanor. Goodman Brown however, pays no attention to this strangers odd outward appearance and follows him into the forest. When first meeting this stranger, Goodman Brown describes him as, “...the only thing about him that could be fixed upon as remarkable was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent” (Hawthorne 6). The use of symbolism is largely used in the story to further display the theory of good vs evil. This quote in particular, illustrates the first encounter of evil that Goodman Brown meets. He meets this random strange man in the deep dark forest quickly notes the odd staff that he carries using precise detail stating how intricately it is made that it appears to be moving. This serpent staff has biblical symbolism in which it is symbolic of evil and manipulation while the man who carries this staff is used to symbolize the devil who manipulates and lures Goodman Brown deeper into forest which is used to represent hell and plunges Goodman Brown further into sin. Goodman Brown is used to represent the good in people, which is evident in his name, and how easily the evil and darkness can manipulate the good in others. Goodman Brown however, isn’t very fond of this evil darkness and begs for forgiveness and help to escape this dark evil forest of sin. He calls to his wife for aid starting, “With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand against the devil!” (Hawthorne 11). As Goodman Brown is plunged deeper into the forest of sin, he fights this evil darkness and