Innocents of Young Goodman Brown

The Innocence of Young Goodman Brown

In the story "Young Goodman Brown" nothing is as it seems as Goodman Brown's faith is put to the test as he goes on a forest walk because of tradition of his father and grandfather done before him. Goodman Brown is in an internal conflict with his pride and humility not knowing what the truth is and what reality is. In this essay symbolism will be used to discuss what consequences come from choices made from faith, Goodman's internal conflict of his innocence and corruptibility, and weakness of public morality.

Goodman Brown is a puritan which means he has strong Christian faith and he makes the choice to go onto the forest to test his faith even though he voices his fear of the forest, as it being a place where no good could happen. He considers it a matter of family honor that his forefathers would never walk through the forest for pleasure. When Goodman Brown meets the old man who appears to be the devil he first tempted Goodman Brown by suggesting to him that every on is capable of evil. The devil then tempts him by telling him that he knew his father and his grandfather. "My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him. We have been a race of good Christians." "shall I be the first of the name of Brown, that ever took this path and kept"

The devil's staff which had a serpent on it representing the serpent that tempted Eve to eat the fruit in the Garden of Eden which resulted God to caste them out. Goodman Brown's choice to interact with the devil resulted in him to question if everyone around him was evil or not this is symbolic of him being caste out of society just as Adam and Eve being caste out of Eden. The Staff is also represents for the devils "ways", "strengths", and way of life.

Although Goodman Brown decides to come into the forest to meet the devil he still hides when he sees Goody Clouse and hears Deacon Gookin, this means he is more concerned with what others think of his faith than the fact that he has decided to meet the devil "But with your leave, friend, I shall take a cut through the woods, until we have left this Christian woman behind". Goodman's corruptibility weakens his faith because his faith

depends so much on other people's views that once he discovers that everyone was in league with the devil his private faith is weakened.

Goodman Brown leaving his love Faith in the beginning of the story is symbolic for how it was inevitable that Goodman Brown will lose his innocence. Losing his religious faith it is a symbol of him also losing his wife. Goodman realizes that he has lost his wife when he sees her pink ribbons come falling from the sky symbolizing that she has