"Young Goodman Brown"
From the start of the story we see Goodman Brown's unmistakable regret at having to run this errand, we see his mind struggling to leave his wife, named Faith, and complete the meeting and task. We see him question why he must leave, and if indeed he should, but he still finds himself baring farewell and walking off into the woods to meet his companion. From the start Goodman Brown question his actions, yet his conformity on the outside shows that he has no control, no other choice, or no sense of helping himself.
Goodman Brown's inability to help himself by questioning outwardly causes him harm, confusion, doubt, and even guilt in the end. Faith, whether speaking of his wife or his actual belief, was the only thing that "kept him back awhile." But it did not hold him for long, he continued to follow his path, to do as he was told, even while the voice in his head questioned. Throughout the story the reader is able to note Brown's indecisiveness, his being unsure, as his voice "tremors." In the middle of the story we see how Brown hopes to break the chain and path that his ancestors have taken. He yells at his companion telling him that it is "too far, too far." At one point he goes on to shout that his "mind is made up. Not another step will I budge on this errand." But his expression of outward conformity is soon squashed as the companion, the devil, leaves him alone and creates the sound of Faith,whether the person or his belief, being harmed. At this point Brown gives in, seeing as there is no option, his faith has been destroyed, and he sees no point in resisting the sin of this world, therefore he calls upon the devil, and continues his errand. At the point where Goodman Brown clearly associates himself with forms of evil by saying "Come witch, come wizard, come Indian powwow, come devil himself, and here comes Goodman Brown," he has become one with them, his resistance is up, and he has conformed outwardly and inwardly.
The reader is also able to detect that many in the town, even those thought to be holy and goodhearted, those that often go by "Good ----" are those who have encountered and treated with the "snake-staffed" man the most. The name Good, used to refer to more than just our main character is one of the biggest ironies in the story. Under no circumstance would these townsfolk nor their actions be classified as good. Most have walked with the pure form of the devil and of control itself, outward conformity leading internal questioning to disperse. The companion in the woods is the epitome of overall power, "he of the serpent." The snake is a symbol often used to represent the enticing leader, the controller. All the town folk had conformed, they did not experience, or no longer experienced, any inward questioning, "It was strange to see that the good shrank not from the wicked, nor were the sinners abashed by the saints," they were all the same, they all behaved similarly, under someone else's control.
"But where is Faith?" This simple phrase holds a double meaning. Where is the faith when faith itself has abandoned one, when faith itself is seen at the celebration of sin, where is faith? Goodman Brown, once failing to question his errand, fails for the rest of his life to question outwardly the blasphemy and lies of the entire village.
From the start of the story we see Goodman Brown's unmistakable regret at having to run this errand, we see his mind struggling to leave his wife, named Faith, and complete the meeting and task. We see him question why he must leave, and if indeed he should, but he still finds himself baring farewell and walking off into the woods to meet his companion. From the start Goodman Brown question his actions, yet his conformity on the outside shows that he has no control, no other choice, or no sense of helping himself.
Goodman Brown's inability to help himself by questioning outwardly causes him harm, confusion, doubt, and even guilt in the end. Faith, whether speaking of his wife or his actual belief, was the only thing that "kept him back awhile." But it did not hold him for long, he continued to follow his path, to do as he was told, even while the voice in his head questioned. Throughout the story the reader is able to note Brown's indecisiveness, his being unsure, as his voice "tremors." In the middle of the story we see how Brown hopes to break the chain and path that his ancestors have taken. He yells at his companion telling him that it is "too far, too far." At one point he goes on to shout that his "mind is made up. Not another step will I budge on this errand." But his expression of outward conformity is soon squashed as the companion, the devil, leaves him alone and creates the sound of Faith,whether the person or his belief, being harmed. At this point Brown gives in, seeing as there is no option, his faith has been destroyed, and he sees no point in resisting the sin of this world, therefore he calls upon the devil, and continues his errand. At the point where Goodman Brown clearly associates himself with forms of evil by saying "Come witch, come wizard, come Indian powwow, come devil himself, and here comes Goodman Brown," he has become one with them, his resistance is up, and he has conformed outwardly and inwardly.
The reader is also able to detect that many in the town, even those thought to be holy and goodhearted, those that often go by "Good ----" are those who have encountered and treated with the "snake-staffed" man the most. The name Good, used to refer to more than just our main character is one of the biggest ironies in the story. Under no circumstance would these townsfolk nor their actions be classified as good. Most have walked with the pure form of the devil and of control itself, outward conformity leading internal questioning to disperse. The companion in the woods is the epitome of overall power, "he of the serpent." The snake is a symbol often used to represent the enticing leader, the controller. All the town folk had conformed, they did not experience, or no longer experienced, any inward questioning, "It was strange to see that the good shrank not from the wicked, nor were the sinners abashed by the saints," they were all the same, they all behaved similarly, under someone else's control.
"But where is Faith?" This simple phrase holds a double meaning. Where is the faith when faith itself has abandoned one, when faith itself is seen at the celebration of sin, where is faith? Goodman Brown, once failing to question his errand, fails for the rest of his life to question outwardly the blasphemy and lies of the entire village.
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