In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" the religious aspects of the story shapes the theme. Religion is such a driving force in the world that when put in writing it has an innate ability to bring about a plethora of emotions. A person's faith is an undeniable fact in there heart and cannot be taken from them unwillingly. Writer's use religion as a way to drive across a point or put emphasis a certain aspect pertaining to the story in order to grab the reader's attention. For instance, a scary black dog attacked the man; this leads one to believe a domestic dog bit a passer by. However when said, the ferocious black dog from the pits of hell, hell is a challenge to ones religion thus making the message more powerful. In "Young Goodman Brown," the religious emphasis of the story has a powerful underlying meaning making it exceptionally riveting. The contrast of night and day, the setting, and the characters names are wrought with religious symbolism and are purposefully used to entrance the reader.
The contrast of the day vs. the night exhibits a sense of religious theme. In the Puritan belief system, everything is looked at as white and black, good and evil, or day and night. Young Goodman Br
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The rock, or altar as it is shown, is surrounded by a massive blaze of fire, where the devil speaks to his congregation. The religious aspects of Young Goodman Brown turn this ordinary story into a powerful reflection of ones own religion. Goodman Brown is further tested and tempted into selling his soul to the Devil as he travels down that dark path, "The road grew wilder and drearier and more faintly traced, and vanished at length, leaving him in the heart of the dark wilderness, still rushing onward, with the instinct that guides mortal man to evil (613).
Next, the naming of the characters performs emblematically to create an aura of religious emphasis. The first time Goodman Brown finds himself in the complete darkness, he spies a woman walking alone in the woods. " This quote is particularly ingenious by the separation of "My Faith is gone" and "There is no good on Earth. For the most obvious bit of Puritanism, there is Faith whom before sunset, is at her best. Furthermore, throughout Goodman Brown's experience with the devil he uses "Faith" as a double entendre to bring about a deeper idea of the turmoil he faces. there is no good on Earth; and sin is but a name. One was either in the illuminating sunshine of their god, or the blackest of night in Satan's shadow. While later at night, Faith has lost her ribbons and is a shining example no longer. Goody Cloyse whom Goodman Brown has always thought to be most pious, even having taught him his catechism, is found to be a witch, knowledgeable about spells and in covens with other witches, now exposed in the night. " The capitalization Faith clearly represents a reference to his wife, while the underlying meaning portrays his faith, which he will soon lose.
Approximate Word count =
1032
Approximate Pages =
4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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