In the story "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author twists ordinary images in order to show the reader that they should keep their guard up against immoral influences that are in the world around them. This story is an allegory dealing with one's morals. The story takes place in a puritan town in Salem back when they believed in witches. Goodman Brown's grandfather and relatives took part in killing and beating the witches in town. The story starts out on a cold night where Goodman Brown sets out into the woods for a long journey.
"He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through and closed immediately behind." The author compares the path to the snake in order to show that the path was tempting. Snakes have always been seen as tempting such as the Bible with Adam and Eve.
English: Title page for Mosses from an Old Manse b...
Fears & Goodman & Goossen-Brown_1
Fears & Goodman & Goossen-Brown_2Snakes are sneaky and quiet, when they appear they startle us. Snakes also shed their skin. This could be seen by many as the devil because he can change to look like anyone to trick us. Goodman Brown questions whether or not to take this path, it looks gloomy and dreary but it appeals to him in some way. Hawthrone does a good job getting his ideas across to the reader.
The wind and air play a huge role in this story because they come to life and have a negative effect. Whenever the wind blows something bad seems to happen. When one thinks about the wind, you think of storms, unexpected, speed, temperature, gases, and you can't see it. Hawthrone uses the wind to express this negative feeling because in the beginning of the story the wind...