Critical Analysis of Young Goodman Brown
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story of Young Goo
dman Brown is a reflection of the Puritan faith as well as man’s conflict between good and
evil. This analysis will emphasize on the theme of Young Goodman Brown as well Hawthorne’
s usage of symbolism and allegories throughout the story.
Literary critic D.M. McKeithan says tha
t the theme of the story is sin and the terrible effect sin has on mankind. McKeithan also believes
that the theme to Hawthorne’s; Young Goodman Brown, is based on the ability that evil has
to persuade man to do wrong and the falseness of man’s virtues. The protagonist in the sto
ry, Brown, journeyed in the woods where he discovered that his Puritan community is not virtuous. Br
own discovered that the entire community including his wife, whom is portrayed as being pure, indulg
es in sin and therefore Brown’s life turns dark due to his loss of hope. Literary critic M
ark Van Doren states:
“Young Goodman Brown” means exactly what it says, namely
that its hero left his pretty young wife one evening … to walk by himself in a primitive
New England woods, the Devil’s territory,…and either to dream or actually to exp
erience (Hawthorne will not say) the discovery that evil exist in every human heart…Brown
is changed. He thinks there is no good on earth…Brown, waking from his dream, if it was a
dream,…sees evil even where it is not…He had stumbled upon that “myste
ry of sin” which, rightly understood, provides the only sane and cheerful view of life the
re is. Understand in Brown’s fashion, if darkens and sours the world, withering hope and c
harity, and perverting whatever is truly good until it looks like evil at its worst: like blasphemy
and hypocrisy. (Van Doren 234)
McKeithan says that Hawthorne is saying that in every human heart t
here is sin, but the story does not emphasize on sin alone, it emphasizes on the effects of sin. McK
eithan states that to interpret Young Goodman Brown, the reader must make the distinction between si
n and the effects of sin.
Literary critic David Levin says that Brown allows the Devil’s
statements about the persecution of Indians and the Quakers allows him to accept the false statemen
ts of the Devil. Therefore Brown fails to distinguish the difference between a single person and act
ions of people as a whole. Levin says that Hawthorne’s way of writing Young Goodman Brown
gives a clear interpretation of the meaning. Neglecting the fact that the Puritans whipped Quakers a
nd burned Indian villages, the reader can then notice what Brown actually sees in the forest. &#
8220;The story is not about the evil of other people but about Brown’s doubt, his discover
y of the possibility of universal evil.”(Levin 246) At the witch meeting Goodman Brown is
invited to the communion of evil by the Devil. Brown is not sure that the meeting was reality or mer
ely a dream, and if the people of the town were actually there. Regardless of Brown’s unce
rtainty, the results of the experience leave Brown in the midst of hopelessness. Mrs. Leavis says th
at Young Goodman Brown became evil as a result of the sin that he believed he saw when in actuality,
the evil was not there at all. Hawthorne’s message is far more depressing and horrifying.
“The story is obviously an individual tragedy, and those who treat it as such are right,
of course; but, far beyond the personal plane, it has universal implications.” (Leavis 236
)
Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism throughout the story of Young Goodman Brown. Thomas Walsh sa
ys that Hawthorne uses a threefold symbolic pattern. The first symbol used in the story is Young Goo
dman Brown’s wife for three months, Faith. Faith represents faith in mankind as well as re
ligious faith. The journey taken by Brown is symbolic to an inward journey to the depths of the huma
n heart. Walsh says that the third symbolic instrument used in the story is the devil, which represe
nts the evil side of Brown.
McKeithan says that Faith symbolizes religious faith, and before Brow
n can be totally loyal to Faith, he must indulge in sin once more. As Brown travels further away fro
m the physical Faith, Brown gets further away from his faith in the goodness of mankind. The text
states that Brown thought of Faith as a blessed angel on earth and said, “After this night
I’ll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven.” When Brown met up with the
devil he explained that he was late because Faith held him back awhile. As Brown continued to journe
y deeper into the forest, he felt ashamed of what he was doing to Faith. During the journey in the
woods Brown looked towards the darkened sky in doubt that heaven existed. The stars in the sky brigh
tened it and Connolly says that the stars are symbolic of the faint hope that Brown still possesses.
Brown then says; “With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the de
vil.”(Hawthorne 272) Then a cloud, symbolic of evil, covers the stars and Young Goodman Br
own’s hope. As Brown lifted up his arms to pray, the pink ribbons worn by Faith fell to th
e ground. Connolly says that the pink ribbons worn by Faith, symbolizes youth and joy. When the ribb
ons fell to the ground, Brown is left to believe that his Faith has failed him.
Walsh states that
the second symbol in, “Young Goodman Brown”, is Brown’s journey into t
he woods. Brown’s journey into the dark woods is said to be parallel to depths of his soul
. The gloomy trees and the dark path, which closed behind him as he continued on the path, symbolize
d what he was doing. Brown was traveling down the path leading to loneliness and despair. Walsh says
that the trees that are closing immediately after he passes them symbolize the evil closing off his
escape. Brown then realizes that his journey is in fact hopeless. The forest is related to the devi
l’s power that continues to grow over Young Goodman Brown’s soul. As Brown trave
led deeper into the forest, a dark cloud covered the sky. The blackened cloud symbolizes Brown&#
8217;s soul, which by now is tormented by evil.
Walsh states that the third major symbol in Young
Goodman Brown, is the dark man that he meets in the forest. The dark man is said to represent Brown&
amp;#8217;s dark side of his soul. The dark man informs Brown of the terrible things that his family
has done in the past, which causes him to doubt the good in man. Walsh states that:
The symbolic
representation of such increasing doubts is in the sequence with the devil. The devil is Brown, fat
her, and grandfather all rolled into one, the exact counterpart of Faith, Brown’s heavenly
side. He is Brown’s darker side, which believes that evil is the nature of man. (Walsh 24
0)
In conclusion to this critical analysis, I have used criticism in emphasizing on Hawthorne&
#8217;s usage of theme and symbolism in the story of Young Goodman Brown. Hawthorne used these liter
ary tools in expressing the Puritan faith and falseness in it. According to Miller, Young Goodman Br
own is a representation of all mankind.critical analysis young goodman brown nathaniel hawthorne sho
rt story young goodman brown reflection puritan faith well conflict between good evil this analysis
will emphasize theme young goodman brown well hawthorne usage symbolism allegories throughout story
literary critic mckeithan says that theme story terrible effect mankind mckeithan also believes that
theme hawthorne based ability that evil persuade wrong falseness virtues protagonist journeyed wood
s where discovered puritan community virtuous discovered entire community including wife whom portra
yed being pure indulges therefore life turns dark loss hope literary critic mark doren states means
exactly what says namely hero left pretty wife evening walk himself primitive england woods devil te
rritory either dream actually experience will discovery evil exist every human heart changed thinks
there good earth waking from dream dream sees even where stumbled upon mystery which rightly underst
ood provides only sane cheerful view life there understand fashion darkens sours world withering hop
e charity perverting whatever truly good until looks like worst like blasphemy hypocrisy doren mckei
than says saying every human heart there does emphasize alone emphasizes effects states interpret re
ader must make distinction between effects literary critic david levin allows devil statements about
persecution indians quakers allows accept false statements devil therefore fails distinguish differ
ence between single person actions people whole levin writing gives clear interpretation meaning neg
lecting fact puritans whipped quakers burned indian villages reader then notice what actually sees f
orest about other people about doubt discovery possibility universal levin witch meeting invited com
munion sure meeting reality merely people town were actually regardless uncertainty results experien
ce leave midst hopelessness leavis became result believed when actuality message more depressing hor
rifying obviously individual tragedy those treat such right course beyond personal plane universal i
mplications leavis nathaniel uses symbolism throughout thomas walsh uses threefold symbolic pattern
first symbol used wife three months faith faith represents mankind well religious journey taken symb
olic inward journey depths human heart walsh third symbolic instrument used which represents side sy
mbolizes religious before totally loyal must indulge once more travels further away from physical ge
ts further away from goodness mankind text states thought blessed angel earth said after this night
cling skirts follow heaven when with explained late because held back awhile continued journey deepe
r into forest felt ashamed what doing during woods looked towards darkened doubt heaven existed star
s brightened connolly stars faint hope still possesses then with heaven above below will stand firm
against then cloud covers stars lifted arms pray pink ribbons worn fell ground connolly pink ribbons
worn symbolizes youth when ribbons fell ground left believe failed walsh second symbol into into da
rk said parallel depths soul gloomy trees dark path which closed behind continued path symbolized do
ing traveling down path leading loneliness despair trees closing immediately after passes them symbo
lize closing escape realizes fact hopeless forest related power continues grow over soul traveled de
eper cloud covered blackened cloud symbolizes soul tormented third major symbol meets said represent
side informs terrible things family done past causes doubt representation such increasing doubts se
quence with father grandfather rolled exact counterpart heavenly side darker believes nature conclus
ion this critical analysis have used criticism emphasizing usage symbolism these tools expressing pu
ritan falseness according miller representationEssay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpapers, ter
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