“Young Goodman Brown”
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” seems like a very dark and mysterious
piece. It is not as easy to read but from just reading the first few paragraphs, one can foresee a
troubling ending for the story. Goodman Brown’s wife, Faith requested from him: “put off your
journey until sunrise” (p. 304). She said that she is troubled when she is alone and it seems that
there is something that bothers her that night of all the nights. The story begins right away with a
hook that tells readers about something frightening to come as predicted by his wife. This is also
a very interesting way to start the story. It is like telling the readers that there is something that
Goodman Brown is hiding from his wife as he refuses to give in to her request.
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It is also symbolic that his wife’s name is “faith.” It like a way of
Hawthorne tell the readers that the wife is indeed a symbol of faith that was challenged too in the
story as seen in what happened to Goodman Brown.
In the end, Goodman Brown fell to the dark side. It was unclear to him what had
happened in the forest. He cannot even trust his own judgement or his own self. He grew old not
trusting anyone. He grew old, “turn pale, dreading, lest the roof should thunder down upon the
gray blasphemer and his hearers” (p.315). He was no longer the same man he was before that
night. His relationship with his wife, his family and his community changed forever. He saw the
evil in everyone and thought that everyone evil that he himself became consumed by evil. He
was not able to live a good Christian life. It was like he gave up and never saw good in life or in
anyone anymore. He continued to live, had children and grandchildren but his faith was never
restored. It was like he saw the truth and never gave life a chance again. He was a reflection of
how men have lost their faith, how they have fallen out of grace and how it is possible for men