Romanticism In Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

All is not what it seems to be in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s narrative, “Young Goodman Brown.” Hawthorne is known for writing dark romanticisms, having been born in Salem Massachusetts it makes a great background for the story considering the setting of the story takes place during the infamous witch trials. The point of view, style, and theme tie together to make the story one to make the reader think not everyone is who they say they are. Hawthorne expresses the beliefs of Goodman through his style and tone and of story while painting great pictures to express how it would feel if you were to see the people you know and love actually turn out to be evil. When a story is written in third person, it gives the reader more viewpoints than if you had just first person. It gives the reader a more honest view on things such as when describing someone or something and you get to see everything that one character in the story might miss. Hawthorne talks about the old man

Of the few themes in “Young Goodman Brown” the one that stands out the most is the loss of innocence. While reading the story the reader can infer that something bad is going to happen, especially when his wife Faith is begging him not to go on this journey. He picks the one character least expected to be bad,especially with the name like Goodman to say, good man. He is met with the devil himself and is well aware of what he is doing, but continues to listen and follows him deeper into the forest. “ You are late, Goodman Brown,” “Faith kept me back a while,” (328) Goodman hears the devil tell him that his father, and his father before him have all met the same fate. “But he had no power to retreat one step nor to resist, even in thought, when the minister and good old Deacon Gookin seized his arms and let him to the blazing rock.” (332) Goodman doesn’t fight it in shock of all the familiar faces and his “Faith” being baptised by a figure of