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The journey of Goodman Brown kicks off with the presence of evil. “He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind it.” In most cases, forests symbolize evil, wickedness, and danger. The path Goodman Brown is about to take is very dark and small, and it is enveloping him as it closes behind him, showing the abandonment of his faith. As Goodman keeps going deep into the woods a person appears, Goodman Brown tells him, ‘Faith kept me back awhile”, which tells us that he had been faithful to his beliefs for a while, and then decided to cross over to the evil world. Later on, we find out it, ‘s the devil who has been with Brown this whole time, “What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!”. Brown notices his staff, “bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought, that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself, like a living serpent.” The staff is being compared to a serpent, this can also be compared to the serpent in the story of Adam and Eve because it shows how things in life can be untrustworthy, and the knowing of what is right and wrong.
As Brown keeps going with his Journey there are times when Goodman Brown states: “Is that any reason why I should quit my dear Faith, and go after her?” I believe this is the point where Goodman Brown starts to question his journey between good and evil. The devil tells Goodman Brown, “Sit here and rest yourself awhile; and when you feel like moving again, there is my staff to help you along.” This part of the story is about the devil leaving the sole key behind and permitting Goodman Brown to join him in the world of evil and corruption. This still happens in life nowadays. We choose whether it’s good or bad.
The journey continues into the forest, YGB hears voices and he decides to hide behind a tree. “It vexed him the more because he could have sworn, were such a thing possible, that he recognized the voices of the minister and Deacon Gookin, jogging along quietly, as they were wont to do when bound to some ordination or ecclesiastical council”. This is a symbolization of betrayal because with the Minister and Deacon in the forest, and the symbols involving the devil could mean that the Minister and Deacon could be with the devil, YGB might have had a feeling of being betrayed by his faith. “While he still gazed upward, into the deep arch of the firmament, and had lifted his hands to pray, a cloud, though no wind was stirring, hurried across the zenith, and hid the brightening stars”. At this point, Goodman Brown is having thoughts of being abandoned and he begins to pray to heaven which is surrounded by evil in the forest. The cloud represents the dangers of allowing your surroundings, family, and friends to become less connected with their faith.
Later in the story, Young Goodman Brown reaches the circle of the wicked, where he hears voices being joined in song. The frightening anthem was being joined with the sounds of nature and wilderness. When YGB is at the circle of the wicked, there is a pit of fire and the fire symbolizes anger and passion for the fight of good and evil. The devil now begins his sermon, “Depending on one another’s hearts, ye had still hoped that virtue was not all a dream. Now are ye undeceived! Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again my children, to the communion of your race!
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