Young Goodman Brown

753 Words4 Pages
In the story of “Young Goodman Brown” setting plays an important role. It brings symbolism to certain events and provokes emotions among characters, especially those of Goodman Brown. The story is that of a man on an adventure to feed his curiosity and to visit the dark side of his Puritan town. Once he arrives at the destination of his adventure, he realizes that many of his elders have followed in the path of evil and that innocence has been removed from his holy Puritan town. The central idea of “Young Goodman Brown,” is the conflict between Goodman Brown either joining the devil or staying “good.” It is a very long and hard journey for Goodman Brown, as he travels through the woods, all while thinking of the “good” things (like his wife faith(with pink ribbons)) that he left behind. This internal fight ends up destroying The Young Goodman Brown and creates a new man. At the beginning, Goodman Brown starts on his journey at sunset; to set out at sunset symbolizes darkness which also means evil. As Brown is about to leave, he kisses Faith (with pink ribbons) goodbye; her name is used to symbol their faith in God and as well as what Brown is leaving behind when he departs. Before Brown starts to leave faith asks him, “pr’y thee, put off your journey until sunrise.” She meant this as that sunrise is a better and safer time to travel then at night when it’s more dangerous, this sets the mood Browns upcoming adventure. Which in turn is giving the reader a little hint that something bad maybe coming up. When Brown goes on his journey he remembers Faith (with pink ribbons) had a dream of the adventure he’s currently taking, that it warned him not to go; this makes Brown feel nervous and uncertain as he still moves forward into the woods. While walking further on the scenery begins to change, “he had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the
Open Document