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Young Goodman Brown Symbolism Essay

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" Symbolism is the language of the Mysteries. By symbols men have ever sought to communicate to each other those thoughts which transcend the limitations of language."- Manly
Hall. In the story "Young Goodman Brown" symbolism is used throughout the whole story. For example; Young Goodman Brown represents every man, or how Pink ribbons represent the mixture of purity and evil. But the three words that will be explained throughout this paper will show how they put the story together.
One of the more obvious symbols seen, the forest, is also one of the most used. The forest provides the setting for most of the story and the meaning of temptation. In the story it states,
"Amidst the pleasant and praiseworthy meditations, Goodman Brown heard the tramp of horses along the road, …show more content…

Cried Goodman Brown." (page 4, sixth paragraph) which proves he has enough faith in
[Last Name] 2 himself to go against the devil's wishes. It also states, " My faith is gone! Cried he, after one stupefied moment. There is no good one this earth; and sin is but a name. Come, Devil; for to thee is the world given" (Page 5 fourth paragraph). This proves that the symbolism for the word faith in this story is "the faith of one's soul". Young Goodman Brown had seen frightful things while going through the forest, but when his faith was gone he had no one to pray to. He felt as if all was bad, which made him loose faith in himself.
Paths can choose how a person can turn out to be later on in life whether it's good or bad.
For example; People who learn from others mistakes go on a better path, while the people he/she are learning from are going down a horrible path because of drugs or alcoholic abuse etc. In the story it states," With this excellent resolve for the future, Goodman Brown felt himself justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose. He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep

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(pg. 453)” Young Goodman Brown is a man living in the puritan era who has a wife and family, and is deep in his Christian faith. Young Goodman Brown lived in a town that is all connected to through the local church. Early in the story Young Goodman brown would set out to meet a person who would later be labeled as the devil by one of the locals. Young Goodman brown would have a vision of everyone in his community that would show him their wicked sins.

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