Young Goodman Brown | Study Guide

Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Young Goodman Brown | Infographic

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Check out this Infographic to learn more about Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown. Study visually with character maps, plot summaries, helpful context, and more.

young-goodman-brown-nathaniel-hawthorneYoung Goodman Brown” is set in 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts, when Puritans dictated behavioral and religious standards. Goodman follows those standards—until he sees his religious leaders engaging in sinful behaviors. As an allegory, the story shows how the devil leads all people—the godly and the corrupt—into sin.“Piety UnveiledTHEMESDisillusionmentGoodman loses faith in goodness and piety when he sees church leaders taking part in a satanic ritual.SinThe dark figure says virtue is a dream and sin is the natureof humans. HypocrisySalem’s church leaders profess commitment to morality but secretly act immorally. Main CharactersThe Dark FigureOlder man; lures Goodman into the forest Goody CloysePious woman; Goodman’s spiritual mentorFaithGoodman Brown’s affectionate wifeDeacon GookinRespected church elderMinisterSalem’s Puritan minister; might have something to hideTemptsMarriedChurch membersYoung Goodman BrownYoung, devoted Christian manThe ForestRepresents the sinfulness into which all people—pious or degenerate—eventually fallPink RibbonsSymbolize innocence and purityA native of Salem, Massachusetts—home of the famous 17th-century witch trials—Hawthorne was well acquainted with church leaders, their Puritanical religious standards, their ambiguities, and their sins. Best known for The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne wrote novels and short stories that deal with morality and human suffering.NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE1804–64AuthorHawthorne’s age when his father, a ship’s captain, died at sea4Year the House of the Seven Gables in Salem was bought by Hawthorne’s family 1782First year of the Salem Witch Trials, the time period when “Young Goodman Brown” is set1692iconYoung Goodman Brownby the NumbersSerpent-Shaped StaffEmbodies that which leads a person into darkness and sinNarratore looked up to the sky, doubting whether there really was a heaven above him. Nathaniel Hawthorne1835EnglishShort StoryAuthorYear PublishedOriginal LanguageYoung Goodman BrownAllegorySources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, The House of the Seven Gables, Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature, Spin Copyright © 2016 Course Hero, Inc.Symbols
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