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Young Goodman Brown Good or Evil?
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Young Goodman Brown", the lines between good and evil are continuously blurred as Brown proceeds from the village into the forest to carry out his onetime evil deed. The separation of the village and forest is key in distinguishing between good and evil in the opening of the story. Brown's wife "Faith" represents his simplistic view of good and evil. Brown's traveling partner in the forest, which bares a striking resemblance to him, is a representation of the devil. The incorporation of the leaders of Brown's life into the forest represents the breakdown of his simple childlike view of life. The complete confusion of good and evil causes Brown to withdraw from everything he had loved so vigorously, prior to his to his dream or experience.
In the opening of the story, the village, to Brown contains all things that are good and pure to him. All the spiritual leaders of his life are there, Deacon Gookin, the minister and his dear wife, Faith. Brown is in high spirits and looks forward to what the future will bring when he returns from the forest. In contrast, the forest is evil and contains the evil deed he must accomplish just this one time. "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 through, and closed immediately behind" (47). The forest is described as a dark, gloomy, dreary and fearful place. He foreshadows the sinfulness of the forest by suggesting the presence of the devil. "What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow" (47).
"Faith" means many things in this story, however, primarily, she represents
Brown's childlike view of life and his naïve belief in good in evil. Like a child, he
believes he can return from his consciously wrongful journey into the forest unchanged
by the evils he will encounter. "Well, she's a blessed angel on earth; and after this one
night I'll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven" (47). "Faith" also symbolizes Brown's need for something stable and pure to cling to for security and protection. His wife, Faith, symbolizes in many ways his own "Faith" or belief in God. Brown's problem is that he relies on others for his stability, beliefs and happiness. The pink ribbons in Faith's hair seem to symbolize childish youth, love, happiness and trust. "And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap" (46).
After Brown's suggestion of the presence of the devil in the forest, it is quite ironic that his peculiar traveling companion suddenly appears. The man strangely resembles Brown a great deal. He carries an eerie snake like staff, "that it might almost be seen to twist and wiggle itself like a living serpent" (47). As Brown begins to rethink his journey and contemplate turning back, his traveling companion attempts to persuade him more and more to continue on. " I helped your grandfather, the constable, when he lashed the Quaker woman so smartly through the streets of Salem. And it was I that brought your father a pitch-pine knot, kindled at my own hearth, to set fire to an Indian village, in King Philip's war. They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk we had along this path," (48). Even Goody Cloyse refers to the man as the devil. "The traveler put forth his staff, and touched her withered neck with what seemed the serpent's tail." ""The devil!" screamed the pious old lady" (4). The traveler then refers to himself as the devil. "Then Goody Cloyse knows her old friend?"(4).
The breakdown of Brown's black and white world begins with the incorporation of the
towns-people into the evil forest. Another key part is that they are all seemingly en route
to and knowledgeable of the evil event that Brown himself is being lured to. First, it is
Goody Cloyse, who taught Brown his catechism. Then comes the minister and Deacon
Gookin, causing Brown to be, "faint and over-burthened with the heavy sickness of his heart" (441). Brown, in an attempt to figure out if Heaven does exist, looks to the stars "With Heaven above, and Faith below. I will yet stand firm against the devil!" (441).
Finally, adding to the climax, comes Faith. Her appearance in the evil forest
represents the complete breakdown of the separation between village and forest good
and evil. The appearance of the pink ribbons brings Brown to a maddened despair. "My Faith is gone There is no good on earth, and sin is but a name. Come, devil! For to thee is the world given" (441).
Brown's confusion of good and evil causes him to withdraw from the things he had
loved prior to his dream or experience. When he awoke in the forest and returned to his
village, he was no longer the same happy go lucky man as he was the night before. At the
first sight of Faith, who was brimming with excitement to see him, his melancholy was
unbroken "But Goodman Brown looked sternly and sadly into her face, and passed on
without a greeting" (444). Consequently, the village and its people were no longer a
vision of goodness or purity in Brown's eyes. He now looked at everyone, including his
wife, with distrust and repulsion. Since Brown was basing his faith on someone or
something other than himself, he quickly became a very bitter and gloomy man.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Goodman Brown" is a dramatic piece of literature that
teaches the dangers of evil and the paranoia of evil. Brown is weak in the respect that he
could not accept the idea that no one is perfect. He allowed it to corrupt and ruin his life.
Even though he does live a long life with children and grandchildren, he dies a sad,
gloomy death. Each person will take a different view from the various symbols
Hawthorne provides as a guide to the moral of his story. The important part is how each
person integrates that view into his or her lives and uses it to an advantage.
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