Loss of Innocence Portrayed by Hawthorne and Updike

748 Words3 Pages
Loss of Innocence Portrayed by Hawthorne and Updike A loss of innocence often means a character is forced to quickly grow up, usually by experiencing a traumatic event. A loss of innocence can also mean losing ones' childhood beliefs and ideals. We all come to that point in life where we experience a loss of innocence through death or the realities in life that we once did not know existed. In these two stories Nathanial Hawthorne and John Updike introduce a loss of innocence through Goodman Brown and Sammy. The realities of the world are brought to their knowledge. Now Goodman Brown and Sammy have to face the world not knowing now what life may bring. In “Young Goodman Brown,” Hawthorne introduces Goodman Brown, a young Puritan living in Salem in the late 1600’s. He is a newly wed to his wife Faith who he leaves for a night to meet a stranger in the woods. We soon realize that the stranger is the devil and he is there so Goodman Brown will question his faith. Updike’s “A&P,” we are presented with Sammy a young man working at the A&P store when three young ladies appear at his register. Sammy noticed the ladies as they was walking into the A&P, their lack of clothing caught Sammy’s eye. Soon the young ladies come to his register and Sammy will have to choose between how much he needs his job or will he pick to stand of for the young ladies who visit the A&P. When Goodman Brown leaves his wife Faith he tells her to, “Say thy prayers, deer Faith, and go to bed at dusk, and no harm will come to thee” (79) Hawthorne uses this to show us that Goodman Brown and his wife are good Christians. When he leaves to go meet the stranger in the woods he leaves fully believing in his faith. However, as Goodman Brown and he stranger, we find out is really the devil, make their way through the woods he begins to question his faith because of the images the
Open Document