“Young Goodman Brown”

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

1. Explain the significance of the names of the title character and his

wife.• last name “Brown” generic, could be

anyone

• No first name for main character – generic

• Faith represents Goodman Brown’s faith, lost through his experience in the forest.

2. Explain who the figure that Goodman Brown meets in the forest

is, and characterize him

• The Devil

• Laughs at GB’s piety (p. 113)

• About 50 y.o., same rank as GB, looks like he could be GB’s father (p. 112)

• Knows world and townspeople (p. 112)

3. What does the forest symbolize?

• Puritans believed the forest represented: – chaos, – darkness, – secrets and – evil

4. At what precise moment does GB lose his faith?

• P. 116 when the pink ribbon falls through the air (whose is it??)

5. How does BG react to his wife and others upon returning to Salem? Why? Is he justified?

• Doesn’t greet people (p. 120)

• Turns pale during sermons in fear of punishment (p. 120)

• Shrinks from Faith (p. 121)

• Scowls, mutters to self (p. 121)

6. What are two of the story’s main themes?

• People are both good and evil.

• People may not be what they seem.

• All have sinned, despite appearances.

• People can’t live in perpetual innocence.

Foreshadowing

• P. 111 – Faith’s fear & ribbons• P. 111 “must needs be done twixt now and

sunrise” “present evil purpose”• P. 112 “he may yet be passing through an

unseen multitude” “What if the Devil himself should be at my very elbow?”

• P. 113 “I have been as well acquainted with your family as ever a one among the Puritans

Foreshadowing (cont.)

• P. 114 “there is a young man to be taken into communion tonight”

• P. 115 “is that any reason I should quit my dear Faith?”

• P. 116 “there is a goodly young woman to be taken into communion”

Dream or reality?

Romantic Story Analysis Chart

Fantasy and Imagination

• Devil

• Witches

• Flying staff

• Possibly a dream

• Boston to Salem in 15 min. (about 20 mi.)

Love of Nature

• Forest setting

Intense Emotion

• Loss of faith

• Disillusionment

Sympathetic interest in the past, medieval

• Puritan time period of setting (story written in 1846; Puritans were prominent in 1600s)

Exotic Places

• Forest

• Possible dream

Legends and Myths

• Witchcraft

• Devil

Death

• Brown dies at end

• Brown’s faith dies

Morbid melancholy; insanity

• Loss of faith

• Reaction of despair after forest scene

The Supernatural

• Devil

Failed Love

• Faith

Mysticism (spiritual intuition beyond ordinary

understanding)

• Brown knows everyone is a sinner; they seem oblivious

Rural Life and the Common Man

• Salem village

• Common people