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Faith In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

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In Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Young Goodman Brown," he is able to keep the attention of the reader using suspense. Throughout the entire story, Hawthorne causes the reader to question what is meant by Goodman Brown’s journey into the forest. Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrates that “Faith” is the greatest stability of the Puritan mindset, and when it is compromised, Goodman Brown’s mind and heart are filled with doubt.
Goodman Brown demonstrates his faith before going into the forest, as well as during his journey throughout the woods. The name Faith, which is used for Goodman Brown’s wife, is a representation of Goodman's own faith. His strong conviction is displayed throughout the description of his wife: "And Faith, as the wife was aptly …show more content…

Initially, when Goodman was told he is late by the dark figure he replied, "Faith kept me back awhile" (141). Although this statement is about his wife, it also symbolizes his own faith. Goodman Brown is astounded to see that many people of great stature, that he knows, are also at the partaking in such a sinful act. In this instance, the writer is showing that all people can be sinners no matter who they are or how they appear to other people. First, Goodman sees Goody Cloys, who is described as "a very pious and exemplary dame" (142). He is absolutely blown away to see Goody Cloyse in forest since she was the one who had taught him his catechism. When Goodman Brown finds the pink ribbon of his wife, his faith is even more diminished. Again, his wife is used as a representation of his faith: "'My Faith is gone!' Cried he, after one stupefied moment. 'There is no good on earth, and sin is but a name. Come devil! For to thee is this world given'" (145). Goodman Brown attends church, which demonstrates his faith, but he feels dismayed by hypocritical members within the congregation: "On the Sabbath day, when the congregation were singing a holy psalm, he could not listen, because an anthem of sin rushed loudly upon his ear, and drowned all the blessed strain"

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Web. 2 May. 2012. The research of “Young Goodman Brown,” explains the various images found in Young Goodman Brown. Some of them clarifies the author criticisms are the Salem Village, the pink ribbons on Faith’s hat, the fellow traveler, the staff, and using of the term “faith”, and the forest.

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On their path, they pass by Goody Cloyse, a catechism teacher. After listening to the conversation between Goody Cloyse and the traveler, the narrator states, “Goodman Brown could not take cognizance” (Hawthorne 6). The statement conveys Goodman Brown loss of confidence in his catechism teacher because he does not recognize her unholy behavior. Awaken from his sleep, he returns to Salem with a corrupted mind. While Faith bursts into joy at the sight of him, he “looked sternly and sadly” and passes by “without a greeting” (Hawthorne 13).

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During his journey of sin, Young Goodman Brown and the devil come upon Goody Cloyse, Young Goodman Brown's catechism teacher, and, still believing that she is a “pious and exemplary dame” Goodman Brown tries to stay away from the woman by pleading with the devil “I shall take a cut through the woods… being a stranger to you, she might ask whom I was consorting with” (3). Because of Young Goodman Brown’s beliefs of her innocence, it is even more jolting to him when she “knows her old friend,” the devil, and speaks about stolen broomsticks, recipes including “the juice of smallage and cinquefoil and wolf’s-bane,” and even the same devilish meeting that Young Goodman Brown and his accomplice are to attend (3). With signs that all point to sin and witchcraft, Young Goodman Brown’s shock in saying “That old woman taught me my catechism” had “a world of meaning” as he cannot possibly believe that a woman known to be so holy and righteous in the community could be so evil within. As Goodman Brown moves past the shock of Goody Cloyse’s actions, he is exposed to the sins of the holiest members of their Puritan community, the minister and Deacon Gookin. While Goodman Brown shamefully “[conceals] himself within the verge of the forest… he recognized the voices of the minister and Deacon Gookin” who speak of the same evil “meeting” as Goody Cloyse and even remark that “several of the Indian powwows” will even be present (4,5).

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In the story of Young Goodman Brown, Brown is shown to have immense faith for both his religion and those in his puritan community, but throughout the story there were many events that led him to start questioning the people he believed in. For example, when Brown was in the forest with the old man, the old man mentioned that he had helped his father and his grandfather commit terrible deeds like burning down an Indian village and whipping a Quaker woman in the streets. Another example is when Brown saw his catechism teacher Goody Cloyse lurking around in the dark forest as if she had done this before. Another character, his wife, he has shown tremendous respect for and she specifically is symbolic of faith and innocence because of her pink ribbons and her kind and loving young demeanor. But

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Hawthorn names Goodman’s wife Faith to constantly remind the readers of the symbolism of his faith throughout the story. As Hawthorn introduces Faith into the story he says, “...the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap.” suggesting that she is honest and pure comparing it to Goodman’s own faith. When Goodman enters the woods, he is greeted by an old man, presumably the devil, and his faith is questioned.

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My broomstick hath strangely disappeared, stolen, as I suspect, by that unhanged witch, Goody Cory, and that, too, when I was all anointed with the juice of smallage and cinque-foil and wolf's bane–”” (3) She started speaking of a recipe as if the man had been her friend for years. Goodman Brown could not believe that a woman of the church would follow the devil. This was the same woman who taught him his catechism. This point was when Brown did not want to continue, wishing to go back to his

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Goodman Brown enters the forest knowing of such evil, he states in the story “what if the devil himself should be at my very elbow” (Hawthorne 322). Goodman Brown sees the minister and Deacon Gookin as well as many other townspeople making their way into the dark forest towards the ceremony. At this time, Nathaniel Hawthorne is displaying that many people of all ranks in religious and governmental society are sinners despite their external appearance. He holds on to the thoughts that as long as Faith remains holy, he shall find it in himself to resist the temptations of evil, but when he sees the pink ribbons from Faith’s cap his Christian faith is weakened. Hawthorne is using Goodman Brown’s wife, Faith, as a symbol of his own when he yells out “my faith is gone!”

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His wife Faith, is symbolized as the overall good. Faith represents religion, purity, and holiness. As the story goes on, and Goodman sees those around him consenting into darkness (Whether the devil’s ceremony is Goodman’s dream or not is left up to the reader) his last string holding onto his beliefs breaks when he believes that Faith has also spiraled into sin. Faith’s name itself implies divinity and when she ironically becomes wicked, Goodman begins his paranoia of those around him, as his last hope is gone.

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As Brown is walking through the woods, he realizes that it is his wife’s voice Faith. As he agonizingly calls out her name and he earnestly tries to get her to resist temptation and choose the righteous path. There is mention of “Young Goodman Brown seizing Faiths pink ribbons from the air as they were floating away, he then cries out my Faith is gone there is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given" (Hawthorne).

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