Young Goodman Brown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Young Goodman Brown - Essay Example 1. Analysis of Allegory and Symbolism Allegory and symbolism in the naming of characters The forest and the Devil 2. Faust myth, Puritanism and the American culture Christian symbolism Salvation and fulfillment of temptation 3. The role of the unconscious mind as a key aspect of the narrative 4. The meaning behind Goodman Brown’s journey into the forest The spiritual state of mankind Conflict between church and state The battle between evil and good 5. The allegorical representation of Faith Faith as a fictional character Pink ribbons 6. Conclusion The tale that has been narrated in Young Goodman Brown is a representation of a plethora of emotions, understandings and feelings that individuals confront in their quest of life. However, this characteristic of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s narrative is only observable from a broader perspective because the centre of the story focuses on a notion that dictates the actions of the characters and especially those of the protagonist, Go odman Brown. As stated by Ellis Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work â€Å"is the classic American short story of a guilty conscience† (2). ... Indeed, the naming of Goodman Brown’s better half as Faith is not a coincidence or happenstance; in fact this decision of Hawthorne’s is one of the many evidences which point towards the writer’s desire to lace his narrative with Christian symbolism. Zhu identifies the naming of characters as an example of the use of allegorical devices, a comprehension of which can aid readers in comprehending the narrative and what the writer intends to project through the journey of his protagonist into the forest (58). The purpose of this paper is to examine the presence of Christian symbolism, allegory, imagery and representations of faith in Young Goodman Brown by exploring and addressing a range of questions to enhance the scope of the discussion. Furthermore, other aspects of the narrative that are analyzed in the paper involve an interpretation of dialogues to develop a conceptual understanding of their meaning and their critical role in the development of the story. Acc ording to Zhu, the first vivid representation of the use of allegorical devices is evident in the naming of the characters, for the writer the protagonist’s name appears to represent a striking contrast where â€Å"Young† is essentially indicative of the character’s innocence and inexperience while, â€Å"Brown† defines his attraction to the somber and ominous forest which is the key setting of Hawthorne’s short story (58). As stated previously, it is the name of the protagonist’s wife which comes across as striking and intriguing when used within the context of the story and what it fundamentally represents. Zhu comments on Goodman Brown’s exclamation of the words â€Å"My Faith is gone!†when he