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Tori Canter Schley Eng-231 8 October 2013 Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Woods In the story Young Goodman Brown, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the forest as way of showing change in the main character throughout the story. In Nathaniel Hawthornes story Young Goodman Brown, Goodman brown states; There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil! For thee is this world given. This quote refers to the eminent theme of evil leering not too far from Goodman Browns faith. Mystery is a strong theme in Hawthornes story because the forest is an unknown place to many people. By the forest being such a mystery, and evil always around the corner, Hawthorne uses it to portray the theme of change in his main character. Some main ideas used in the story are; the setting at night, the woods being haunting or evil, fear, and change. By the setting being at night, it sets the mood for the story to be dark. The first major theme Hawthorne used in is story is having his setting at night. By doing this, he sets an eerie mood for the reader and sets the tone for the rest of the story: the dusk deep forest...(Hawthorne 2423). This quote explains that the dark makes it hard to see the people or what they look like, as well as their expressions. By Hawthorne doing this, it leaves the character wondering what the true meaning behind the other characters statements, due to him not being able to see their facial expressions. The darkness makes it hard for Goodman Brown to differentiate between him actually talking to a snake, or talking to a snake-like person, the other character in the story. Young Goodman Brown went into the woods searching for something and he left his wife Faith behind to go on his journey. By leaving his Faith behind, it

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implies that his journey is a way of finding himself without the idea of a God telling him where or what to do. He is letting fate do its work. In the beginning of the story it tells the reader that Young Goodman Brown has been with faith for three months, thus implying that he is new to follow God and is already questioning what he knows. By him questioning what he know or has learned, he then decides to go into the woods searching for something. The second theme found in the story is the eminent theme of the woods being haunting or evil: there may be a devilish Indian behind every tree. (Hawthorne 2422). This statement suggests trouble behind every tree. Indians were a mystery to these people, as well as what lies within the forest. The question of evil lurking throughout the woods sets a heavy mood upon the character. Also, in the quote: there could be nothing more frightening than the figure of Young Goodman Brown (Hawthorne 2427). Telling the reader, that it is not the woods itself that is evil, but the things that lie within it. In all things good and bad, it isnt usually the thing itself that it frightening, it is normally that, Brown will come across some frightening things, or things he may not understand. The evil woods idea suggests change in Young Goodman Brown because, he must learn to figure out what is evil and what is not and make the correct choices that will lead him to his destination. Making the wrong choices and trusting the wrong people could lead to disaster, but also change him into the man that ends up coming out of the forest. Fear is an important emotion for the story because it implies the unknown of good vs. bad: they turned; and flashing forth, as it were a sheet of flame, the fiend worshippers were seen (Hawthorne 2429). This quote implies that fear is not being able to see what is right in front of you. Brown stumbles across, what seems like, a ritual. In the time period this story is set in, witch craft is a serious crime and is usually suspected and sentenced to death. So for Brown to come across a ritual seems barbaric and teaches him a lesson. The people are dancing around a

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fire, which also helps him to see in the dark what is happening. The fire is the first kind of light told in the story and suggests that Brown is finally seeing what he feared most. Also, fear is being able to see for the first time since being in the woods, what exactly is in front of you. Fire being used as light to see is important because it shows change in Goodman Brown by shedding light on his fear of the forest and seeing what is inside that he so afraid of. Lastly the change in Young Goodman Brown is important to this story, because from the beginning there has always been the element of not knowing, or the fear of change. I love my Faith, of all nights in the year, this one night I must tarry away from thee. My journey is thou callest it, forth and back again (Hawthorne 2422). This quote suggests that Young Goodman brown is a firm believer in his Christian Faith, his wife Faith being the symbol for his actual faith in the Christian community. However, in the quote on page 2427 My Faith is gone! this quote suggests that evil has taken over and he is losing his faith due to the situations he is put through while in the woods and the things he saw. But, Goodman Brown looked sternly and sadly into her face, and passed without a greeting. (Hawthorne 2430). Hawthorne is implying that Goodman Brown has experienced great change while searching in the woods; it suggests that his wife Faith, being the symbol of his own faith, is now just his past. In the beginning of the story he is innocent and nave, but the events in the woods test and change his faith to not so innocent after all. He has learned not to believe everything he is told, because sometimes there are dark motives behind the meaning of something that is said. Just as the woods being dark enough to not be able to see the expressions of people, it is the same as people putting on a blank expression and saying things that actually have no meaning, or an alternate meaning/motive.

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Nathaniel Hawthorne has a great way of using the woods as a passageway to imply change in people. He uses the darkness to convey the meaning of not actually seeing what is right in front of you, as well as using the woods to portray evil, whether it is good or bad. Hawthorne also uses fear to set the emotion of the story, such as the fear of the woods, change, or the unknown, and using change in his characters to show the woods being a place where the truth comes out. Even though this story dates far back in time, it makes you wonder if the woods really are a place where you find change. Change doesnt always have to be drastic, but the woods portray a place where a person goes to find themself and either change for the better, or worse.

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Works Cited Lauter, Paul, and Bruce-Novoa. Young Goodman Brown. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Vol. B, Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath, 1990. 2422-430. Print.