Young Goodman Brown- theme

I n the story “Young Goodman Brown”, Nathaniel Hawthorne reveals a inner conflict of a man’s faith in religion and knowledge of mankind’s indiscretions with sin. The story takes place in the 17th century in Salem, Massachusetts towards the end of the puritan era. Hawthorne uses allegories and other symbols to help emphasis the story’s theme. The main character Goodman Brown symbolizes an everyday good man. His wife named Faith symbolizes Goodman …

…beliefs, faith, and sin. Hawthorne was very effective in this way because like the Bible it can have many interpretations for many different people based on their beliefs. I think that another technique could be used but because of the subject of religion I don’t feel it would be as effective. It would probably lessen the mysterious of the story and it’s characters, and may also limit the interpretation of the individual readers.