Symbolism and Irony in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay -- Young

Symbolism and satire in unfledged Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown is the story of a young man faced with the reality that evil is a set out of human nature. The story illustrates how naivet can drive a person to lunacy. Young Goodman Brown, who symbolizes that Puritan every man, is shocked when he sees respected clergymen and women of his village at the devils communion. His disbelief that it is normal and acceptable to be intrinsically evil causes him to delay a life of despair. In the story, symbolism and irony ar cleverly implemented to show that no one is completely good or evil, and that the tension between these opposites is where power to progress onward is generated. There are more elements to the story than just the battle of good vs. evil. Sexuality excessively becomes an issue in the story. At the beginning of the story, Young Goodman Brown bids good-by to his young wife. The particular aspect of his life that she represents is illustrated by her name confidence. Faith ...thrusts her pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap... (Hawthorne 272). already the dynamic symbolism between nature and the home is set up. Nature, peculiarly the wind, fo counterpoise, and darkness symbolizes sinfulness and evil. The home, specifically Faith and her pink ribbons, symbolizes the perceived prophylactic and security of the Puritan community as asylum from the sin of the rest of the world. Goodman Brown begins his journey into the woods. He reprimands himself for leaving Faith on much(prenominal) an errand, still promises to cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven (Hawthorne 272) when he returns. This errand is never clarified, but it... ...986. 5 2737-40. Fogle, Richard, H. Hawthorns Fiction The Light and the Dark. Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Young Goodman Brown An entree to Reading and Writing. Ed. Alison Reeves. New J ersey Prentice Hall, 1995. Shear, Walter. Cultural fate and brotherly freedom in three American short stories. Studies in gip Fiction, fall 92, Vol. 29 number 4, p543, 7p. Swisher, Clarice., ed. Color and Images in The Scarlet Letter. Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne. Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996. VonFrank, Albert J. Pretty in Pink Young Goodman Brown and New-World. Critical probe on Hawthorns Short Stories, Boston G.K. Hall & Co., 1991. Zanger, Jules. Young Goodman Brown and A White HeronCorrespondences And illuminations. Papers on Language & Literature. Summer90, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p346, 12p.