Puritan Culture In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Writings

Hawthorne’s writings reflect the Puritan culture and history in a new way. In the past the Puritans culture was one that revolved around god and god’s providence. The idea that if you believe in god and have a good moral mindset, you will prosper and god will always be by your side. Although, if you were against god and made some immoral choices god would always find you and smite or punish you. So you could imagine the change in tone when Hawthorne writes about a witch meeting. The theme “things are not always as they appear” plays a huge role in the story. The one symbol that expresses the theme is Faith. She is the main character’s (Goodman) wife. In the beginning of the story on page 386 Faith is trying to hold back Goodman. Faith knows

Goodman then cries out her name and follows with “Look up to Heaven, and resist the Wicked One!” This has to be the highlight of the theme, Goodman’s only hope of not attending the meeting is Faith, until he sees her at the meeting. On Page 391 Goodman hears “familiar tones, heard daily in the sunshine, at Salem village, but never, until now, from a cloud of night.” (391) this is another thing that Goodman experiences and has him realize that most of the town he thought was innocent is also in of these late night meetings. Goodman even sees his catechism on page 389 attending the meeting. These scenes give the reader and Young Goodman Brown the idea that things are not always as they seem. The idea that God is the right way and good will prevail is what seems to be challenged in this reading. The man Goodman meets in the woods is trying to convince Goodman to follow him to the meeting and accept the devil. On page 394 the preacher in the meeting says “Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome, again, my children, to the communion of your race!”