The document provides an analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Young Goodman Brown." It summarizes the plot, in which the seemingly good man Brown allows himself to be tempted by evil and loses his faith after witnessing others in his community engaging in sinful acts in the forest. The analysis then examines how readers can interpret various symbols and themes in the story using the literary criticism approach of reader response theory. This allows readers to relate to Brown's personal journey and growing realization of man's inherent flaws and capacity for evil.

1. Essay on Young Goodman Brown
The main focus of the story "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the triumph of
evil over good. A supposedly good man is tempted by evil and allows himself to be converted into a
man of evil. This is much like the situation that arises in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, where two
people are tempted to sin and give in thus submitting themselves to the power of the devil. In this
novel, the area where the devil resides is strictly parallel to that in "Young Goodman Brown".
As Goodman Brown sets off on his walk into the forest, he believes that there is more good within
his community than evil, and that he himself is a good man. He...show more content...
Goodman Brown then says that these people's ways have no attachment to him and therefore he is
not capable of their sinful doings. This urges his companion into uncontrollable laughter, for he
knows that Goodman Brown is as much a sinner as the rest of them although he has yet to realize
this. Meeting Goody Cloyse in the forest shows that Goodman Brown has been evil all of his life,
for she is a witch, and he says that the old lady taught him his catechism.
Goodman Brown is tempted by his fellow traveler, who is most definitely an advocate of the devil,
or the devil in another form, to come deeper into the forest, but he refuses. Goodman Brown now
sits and ponders whether or not to turn back. He hears the voices of the town's deacon and minister,
and they talk of he communion they will be attending. Upon hearing this, Goodman Brown cries out
that he will stand strong against the devil. He then hears the confused sound of voices of the
towns–people. This is the devil firmly urging Goodman Brown to give in to the evil force. Now
the desperate man hears the scream of a woman and sees his wife's pink hair ribbon in a tree and
he is paralyzed by the effects of this. Crying out "My Faith is gone, there is no good on earth: and
sin is but a name" he instantly sells himself to the devil.
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2. Young Goodman Brown
Jordan Johnson Professor Christopher McBride ENGL 303 23 June 2013 Essay Assignment One:
Reader–Response Criticism
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" is a short story in which the author attempts to
convey several different messages or themes throughout the literary piece. Themes in literary works
can sometimes be better understood by analyzing the piece with a specific literary criticism
technique. A few of these literary criticism techniques include Marxist, Formalism, and Reader
Response just to name a few. Given Hawthorne's style of writing and this short story in particular, a
reader or critic can benefit from analyzing his work with the Reader Response literary criticism
approach. The Bedford Glossary of...show more content...
These individuals include Goody Cloyse, Deacon Gookin and even his own wife Faith. Using the
literary critique discussed above, the reader can relate to Goodman Brown and almost feel what he
feels as he observes these people in the forest with him. At the beginning of the story Hawthorne
somewhat projected Mr. Brown as almost an outcast in his innocent community by taking this
journey into the woods. However as his journey continues and he sees other individuals in the dark
forest with him Goodman Brown realizes he is not alone. The reader can interpret this a few
different ways. First, it could be interpreted that Hawthorne is trying to illustrate that one's public
image may not be exactly what you think it is. This also could be interpreted as the loss of
innocence is inevitable at some point in one's life. Nathaniel Hawthorne's style of writing provides a
solid balance of obvious and subtle symbols, motifs and themes to portray the messages he sends
to his audience. The readers of his literary pieces can learn more by going through his short stories
applying the Reader Response Critique. This will allow one to relate to the different characters on
a personal level and not allow information such as time, location and economic issues to be factored
into a reader's analysis. The reader response criticism certainly is beneficial to readers struggling with
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3. Young Goodman Brown
In this extract from "Young Goodman Brown", Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism, imagery and
point of view to depict Goodman Brown's eventual journey from naivety in man's purity of faith to
recognition of man's disposition to evil. It reveals Brown's misplaced faith in man, who is deficient,
instead of God. In the dialogue that ensues between the minister and Deacon Gookin, we learn of an
impending meeting expecting participants hailing from "Falmouth and beyond... Indian powows"
(Hawthorne 26). The geographical listing hints at the far–reaching influence of the devil. By
including the Indians, Hawthorne subtly contrasts the inclusiveness of this heathen community
versus the exclusivity of the Puritan community. This perhaps also...show more content...
It is as if to allude to the words of Jesus in the Bible, Matthew 7:3, Brown "looks at the speck of
sawdust in his brother's eye and pays no attention to the plank in his own eye" (1544). Is he not
then, as much a hypocrite as he judged the men to be?
The elements of symbolism, imagery and point of view in the extract reveal the internal tension and
turmoil building up in Brown. This encounter serves as a rising action in the plot. Brown started the
journey confident of his faith but the encounters along the way caused him to vacillate and he
realises, with "heavy sickness of his heart" (Hawthorne 26) that evil is resident in everyman.
(997 words)
Works Cited
"Book of Matthew." Life Application Study Bible: New International Version. Michigan. Tyndale
House Publishers,1997. 1544. Print.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Young Goodman Brown." ELT107 Analyzing Prose: Short Fiction and
Essays–Short Stories. Singapore: UniSIM, 2010. 21–30. Print.
Levy, Leo B. "The Problem of Faith in 'YoungGoodman Brown.'" Journal of English and German
Philology. No 3, July 1975. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
Khoo, Sim Eng. "ELT107 Analyzing Prose: Short Fiction and Essays–Seminar 5." My UniSIM.
UniSIM, 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
"Study Unit 3." ELT 107: Analyzing Prose: Short Fiction and Essays. Singapore: Unisim, 2011.
SU3–18–22. Print.
Wargo, Vicky. "Examining the Characterization and Morality in Writings by Poe and
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