I chose to discuss the staff for the symbol on the Young Goodman Brown encounters in the forest from the old man’s hands holding the staff into the hands of his own (the turning point of his religion and faith. This staff is very symbolic in of biblical and theological perspective. The detailed carving of the serpent represented the devil’s servant an evil demon so to speak. It is relative to the story of Adam and Eve the offering of the Apple. Eve took it and lost her innocence, gaining shame, guilt, embarrassment all because she gave in to curiosity and temptation. I actually think the Apple has a relative symbolic connection to the rod/staff. Goodman Brown’s curiosity got the best of him by leading him to the decision to venture in the forest. I Analyzed the meaning of the symbol as it pertains to a key theme in the story. Losing faith and believing in his religion and questioning it by going against it. Being lead by temptation.
This symbols portrays the old man is more of a demon than human, almost representing the devil himself or at least one of his minions and as for Goodman Brown by holding the staff he leads himself on the way towards a very evil path.
After the show to the venture Georgia for is in question his faith his savings never been the same I feel like he lost and lonely life is faith in God of shame or after just giving into temptation.
He had a good relationship with his wife having faith in him which represents their faith as a couple and now after returned from the forest of evil his wife had lost whatever fate she had and his life, he was no longer fulfilled.
He seems like his life never recovered after being tainted in the forest and so he hasn't been able to reach true happiness nor the purity ring is Sons of the have been is he had once before because of the fact that he has a screaming in the sand and probably not proud of how much.
Fear of losing faith, walking a different path than his forefathers living the more traditional and conservative Puritan life. For example his father would never walk into the Forest of pleasurable temptation and the Devil him reminds that he is not like his forefathers, he is not pure and orthodox, I think. Another example is how the English Puritans treasured the woman's’ faith overpowering the males lack of faith if there was at anytime. If the wife had faith in her husband it would overpower would save the male and revive his faith. Unfortunately in Goodman Brown’s situation after returning from the forest his wife never redeemed her faith therefore he completely loses his faith and any chance he had to resist the devil. There is a quote from the book which I truly appreciate and it goes, “By the sympathy of your human hearts for sin ye shall scent out all the places—whether in church, bedchamber, street, field, or forest—where crime has been committed, and shall exult to behold the whole earth one stain of guilt, one mighty blood spot.” Which means, in my opinion, once trained you can never be untainted. once you have walked the path of evil there is a certain point where you can’t turn around and go back from it.
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Alissa,
I do agree, this story is very biblical and theological as you mentioned. It seems like every few sentences I read, I was able to make a religious connection to it. You did a great job here at covering all the bases, I enjoyed this.
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I believe that the story is a reflection of Hawthorne's religious beliefs. Throughout the whole story there are a number of biblical references. But only evil seemed to stick out the most. The fact that evil can be all around us, tempting us in any way it can. Great analysis!
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I really liked when you started discussing his forefathers and the reference to his father. This part in the story was a little chaotic and to pull that out of it was very observant. Maybe the part where his mother would hold him back was showing that the men of Hawthorne's generation were straying further from right and wrong, and the teachings of their upbringings.
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I agree with the man was symbol of the devil. He led Goodman Brown down the crooked path once he accepted the maple branch that was taken from a tree. This also was a symbol as in the tree of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. Good post!
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