Faith is often defined as the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement etc. In the short story “Young Goodman Brown,” the author uses several forms of symbolism and tone to depict the underlying theme of the story. Throughout the story, the author Nathaniel Hawthorne prompts the reader to ask, “where does one's faith stand?” Hawthorne has shown that when one’s faith is compromised, the result may lead to a feeling of deception and disgrace.
Initially, Goodman Brown is displayed as a man having strong religious faith and devotion towards his wife. The use of the word faith by Hawthorne symbolizes both Goodman’s religious values and his wife, Faith. With his description, Hawthorne created parallels between both of his “faiths.” "And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with
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Hawthorne states, "Often, awaking suddenly at midnight, he shrank from the bosom of Faith" (317). This passage suggests Goodman Brown remains to keep a small amount of his faith. However, his knowledge of darkness in the world causes him to once again withdraw from the rest of the world. Hawthorne also used the word young in the title to imply that youth plays an important role in the story. Through critical reading, Goodman’s youthful innocence is revealed and later threatened by his rise into adulthood.
Hawthorne creates a bleak and grim tone throughout much of the story. Hawthorne’s diction in the opening paragraphs is a good indicator of the nefarious being he will soon encounter. Words such as “melancholy”, “evil”, “dreary”, and “grave” are used to elicit a feeling of obscurity. The immense amount of seriousness suggests Hawthorne’s overall attitude towards the story. Goodman Brown’s attitude is exhibited when he examines the possibility of impiety existing within the town. This later leads him to portray a negative outlook on