Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his story of the similar title, concludes that Young Goodman Brown is a disillusioned, doubtful, and sad character. The story seems to reflect the hypocrisy and ignorance of those around Brown. The story revolves around a man’s deepest beliefs. He believes that his faith is fixed, constant and exact. But, as he travels to the forest, this faith becomes shallow. Goodman Brown was naive, untrained and unaware that each person had a positive and negative side. He judges the virtues (or lack of evil) of those he thought were sincere, only to discover that they are all polluted with sinfulness. Hawthorne, in his reflections of Salem and its people, highlights the fact that evil will always be present in every person. Accepting this truth can allow a man to live life to the maximum.
Hawthorne takes a look at a society that has been painted as pure, but is stained with evil. It shows the transformation Goodman Brown goes through from morality to decay and stagnation. This transition from a young, pure couple to a forest of darkness and meeting the Devil is indicative a bigger moral scheme. If we adopt a deconstructionist view, then it would appear that the loss or innocence of a person allows them to realize that good and evil are both present. As suggested by her name, Faith’s relationship with Brown nurtures his concept of worldview innocence. While he knows that he will be traveling for ‘evil reasons’, he doesn’t seem to understand the end result of his journey when he enters a forest marked by ‘excellent resolve.’ (Hawthorne 233). Brown has learned to see reality and his surroundings through a lens that is not innocent. The disclosures of Brown’s wife and her role in the forest of rituals are intended to break any shreds of innocence, while also allowing him to recognize his own evil. Brown remains innocent when confronted by the true nature Goody Close. Hawthorne writes that Brown was “unable to take cognizance”. This shows how he couldn’t understand that the nature of mankind is that good is intertwined with evil. Brown’s naivety has him believing that “what is seen is what one gets.” He does not look past the surface to see the truth and assumes the best of everything based solely on appearance. Brown is distraught when he realises his people were in “league with devil”. As Brown enters the forest, which is symbolic of wickedness and a sinful lifestyle (Levin 345), the evil presence becomes evident. The road, which is dark in color and closes rapidly behind him, shows the abandonment of faith. He is walking with the Devil as he enters the forest. Brown explains that “faith held him back a little while”, showing how he was faithful with his beliefs until he fell victim to the inevitability evil. His inconsistency of faith, his instability in the mind and distrust towards others are examples of the conflict between good and evil. This causes a shift in his concept of faith and trust as well as the way he interacts with others.
Brown begins to distrust community as he continues his journey through the forest. He sees many people praying and being devout. Brown’s distrust grows as he sees their actions. It makes him want to return to his partner. He seems not to be able to distinguish between the good and bad that are at the core. Brown wouldn’t have had any trouble trusting others if he was convinced that human beings are inescapable. In fact, Brown deliberately seeks to test the faith of others and finds himself in a situation where he is almost unable to cope with lucidity. Because of his inexperience and ignorance of reality, the results of his efforts are a hallucinatory picture of people who he used to think were good mixing with those who were bad. Levin believes Brown’s distorted view of human nature is a result of his ignorance. Only those with strong wills can accept this harsh reality. Brown’s perspective seems to be dominated with the idea that perfection is humanity or, perhaps, good puritans differ from imperfection. Hawthorne demonstrates that the human condition is one of constant struggle against temptations and devils. A perfect life, he says, is nearly impossible. Those who do not understand this truth are likely to die as a result of their own mistakes.
This truth is not for everyone. The sooner people realize it, the more difficult it will be to accept. Brown is unable to accept this truth as he believes that there are perfect realms where people never sin. He doesn’t realize that no person is perfect. Everyone has done bad things before. Brown is evil in that he has chosen to leave behind the religion he held dear, and he then leaves his wife for a forest journey. It is undeniable that there is a connection between the human and the evil. If this connection is not understood, it can lead to the destruction of relationships. Nathaniel Hawthorn questions whether it is fair to expect everyone to accept that the evil within their families, communities, and friends can be seen by all. It all depends on an individual’s self-confidence. The answer to this question depends on the level of self-confidence an individual has. Goodman Brown’s vulnerability and lack of self-confidence makes him unfit to face the complexities that come with the knowledge that everyone is flawed. Perhaps brown misunderstood ‘Faith,’ with his ease and the expectation that he would live a good life (Hawthorne 244). Brown is an example of the negative consequences that can result from a devout, excessive attitude in what would otherwise be a more secular society. His wife, his local, and his faith are all happy, despite his previous convictions. On discovering the secret, he reveals in some ways his evil side. Hawthorne believes that the human character is both good and evil. It is the idea that mankind is always a battle of good against evil, even if there are no flaming or pyxie catapults. Brown is not only confronted with the devil, but also his dark side – temptations, anger and evils within his own family. The battle best showed that everyone has a positive side and a bad side no matter how religious or pious you are (Hawthorne, 217).
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work is a great example of how allegory can be used to illustrate a struggle that we all face in our daily lives. The journey into the forest served as both a setting for the tale and a symbol of each individual’s journey. Hawthorne wants people to understand that evil is a part of life and can be a deterrent from living impulsively. Brown wouldn’t have died in a state of sadness and despair if he knew that his friends and family were vulnerable to evil. His innocence is what led him to believe that everyone around him was good. But when the truth came to light, he could not handle it.