Young
This idea is the root by which all children of Puritan faith learned where they stood in the eyes of their God. They discovered very young that they were unworthy of the Grace of God. If they were to be saved it would only be if God predetermined their fate. This led them to the belief that they must resist sin and temptation in their everyday lives to have any chance at keeping in the Grace of God, should they be chosen for redemption of their original sin.Nathaniel Hawthorne's allegorical tale, "Young Goodman Brown" served as a stark criticism of his ancestor's beliefs and the doctrines of Puritanism. He reveals, through Brown's journey, how this dark view of life could lead to mistrust of oneself, and of those around one. The "good man's" expedition begins with him departing as the sun sets, "crossing the threshold"(1236) leaving his wife, Faith. Her name is obvious symbolism that Hawthorne wanted all readers to immediately notice. Against her wishes and pleas, Brown ignores Faith and continues onto his journey without a second thought. The journey Brown departs for somewhat parallels the journey that every Puritan must take towards righteousness. Known historically as the Journey t
The man is eager to take Brown deeper into the forest and desires no delay because this would give Brown a chance to doubt what he is doing, a common practice among Puritans. Hawthorne's assertion is that this confusion is the only possible outcome of Puritan belief. To mistrust yourself, others, and your own thoughts cannot create a stable faith. "Had Goodman Brown fallen asleep in the forest, and only dreamed a wild dream of a witch meeting?"(1244). It creates only further mystification in an already confusing world. According to the Puritan doctrine, now that Brown has once doubted his faith, he has forever denied it. This can be seen in the actions Brown's family before him. Brown lives out the rest of his life ignoring Faith and questioning the intentions of all Puritans, because his faith gives him no other choice. It comes as no surprise that along the way he meets up with a man holding a serpent staff. Hawthorne presents this idea by placing Brown's wife among the devil worshippers. Or has he? Hawthorne now presents the reader with the most difficult to swallow fact about the Calvinist following. Redemption for sins is not an option. This is a strict point made by Hawthorne to show that even the seemingly most pious Puritans had done wrongly. owards Justification, it is this same journey that leads puritan people into evil and sin. He is unable to discern whether the events of the evening were real or all just a dream.
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Acceptance Essays
