EN 2/15/08 110 Sin: Not Just a Dark Matter The dichotomy between good and evil is a pervasive and reoccurring theme in literature, which emphasizes to its prevalence in human nature. Most texts hold extreme views on evil and sinning, but Nathanial Hawthornes "Goodman Brown" contradicts this traditional view. Converse to the black and white view on sin, Hawthorne shows readers a grey area through his usage of setting; dark and light imagery often parallel the protagonists inner conflicts and catalog his journey and decay as a character. Hawthorne introduces darkness multifaceted nature as it relates to Brown in the first few paragraphs. When his wife faith asks him to "tarry with [her] this night," Brown refuses, stating, "this one night must [he] tarry away from [her...], [as his] journey [...] needs to be done ,,twixt [then] and sunrise."(1264) Darkness falls between sunrise and sunset, the same time period in which Brown plans conduct his journey. The dichotomy between light and dark is often used to describe the two parts of human nature; typically, light symbolizes goodness, and darkness symbolizes evil. The evil side of human nature, as typified by darkness, lures Brown. Nightfall is also the end of any visibility. Leaving his wife, aptly named Faith, and heading blindly into darkness signifies his momentary renunciation of religious faith. Nevertheless, Brown refuses to acknowledge his dark path as sinful. Though he does not choose to identify the dark with sin, he associates it with various other maladies. He sees danger as fundamentally linked to darkness when he tells Faith to "Say thy prayers, [...] and go to bed at dusk, and no harm will come to
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thee."(1264) She will stay out of harms way by avoiding the dark, whereas he willingly walks into it. Browns seeing darkness as dangerous indicates an awareness of his behavior as well as an initial willingness to sin; sins appeal to Brown is irresistible. Browns inability to stay on the path of righteousness, despite his self-awareness and his wifes pleas, shows the natural desire of human beings to gravitate towards sin. Hawthorne indicates the naturalness of this behavior by referencing the story of Adam and Eve indirectly when Brown enters the woods. The devil carries a staff, "which [bears] the likeness of a great black snake."(1265) Serpentine imagery classically refers back to the temptation of Eden, when Eve succumbs to the evil snake and sins by eating the apple. Furthermore, upon his arrival to the meeting in the woods, Brown expresses great shock at the familiar faces he sees: "[...] There were high dames well known to her, and wives of honored husbands, and widows, a great multitude, and ancient maidens, all of excellent repute, and fair young girls [...]. [...] He recognized a score of church-members of Salem village, famous for their especial sanctity. [...] There were men of dissolute lives and women of spotted fame, wretches given over to all mean and filthy vice [...]. (1270) Hawthorne covers a huge scope of people who have been inducted into this secret group of sorts. He does not restrict sins grasp to one socioeconomic one group, gender, or one age. To Hawthorne, sin and sinners are everywhere--it is a collective human behavior. The devil speaks to the nature of human beings as well, saying that "Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome, again, my children, to the communion of your race!" (1271) Lights debut via the fire upon Browns arrival at the meeting also reinforces sins naturalness and its inevitability. Though dark imagery surrounds him in the forest, as he draws closer to the meeting place fewer dark images appear. All of the people
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sitting around the fire acknowledge their sinfulness, and the importance of the meeting. Even the deacon states "Of the two, reverend Sir, [...] I had rather miss an ordinationdinner than to-nights meeting."(1268) This fire symbolizes enlightenment concerning human nature as it relates to sin. Many of the people surrounding the fire are in fact pious good people; however, they understand that human nature and religion occasionally conflict. Their honesty about sin and its place in their lives gives them inner-peace, whereas Goodman Browns reluctance to acknowledge his own sinful ways leads him to destruction. Browns lack of introspection at the meeting isolates him from the rest of society, causing him to revert back to darkness. Brown sees himself as the solitary righteous person he knows because he refuses to reevaluate his understanding of human nature. He avoids the truth of human nature, thus avoiding the truth of his own nature and that of his peers. He neglects to realize that whether his intentions of attending the meeting ended up being different from the intentions of the meetings majority, he was still at the meeting. Brown has sinned, and refuses to see it in himself. He runs from the meeting, back into the darkness, which symbolizes his running from enlightenment and truth and back into the ignorance of religion. Though Brown runs from the meeting in the name of salvation, Brown is the only character who seems to be punished for his actions--thisstresses the importance of selfevaluation and understanding sins role in human life. Browns decision to avoid looking at the truth of sin causes him to vilify and doubt everyone around him. When he passes, "[his friends and family carve] no hopeful verse upon his tomb-stone; for his dying hour was gloom."(1272) Browns lack of close interpersonal relationships upon death mirrors
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his isolation from society during the meeting in the woods. His unwavering and extreme views rob his life of any and all happiness. He becomes a man void of joy. Browns dishonesty with himself provides him a dark life on Earth. Hawthorne bequeaths a cautionary message through Browns self-destruction: sin is natural and will not necessarily lead to unhappiness, but denying ones own nature will prove to be disastrous in life. The texts depiction of sin differs from the norm; however, its portrayal of human nature is acute. Hawthorne uses the setting of dark and light to convey an alternative view of sin; Browns journey, as paralleled by the setting, subtly reveals the texts feelings on sin and natural human behavior.
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