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50th out of 174 books
—
298 voters
Young Goodman Brown
Hawthorne's classic tale of a young Puritan's meeting with the Devil.
Paperback, 48 pages
Published
September 9th 2005
by Wildside Press
(first published 1835)
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The story begins with a sense of menace – fear on Faith’s part, mission and deception on Goodman’s, with the admission that his intent is evil. How common is the promise often made to ourselves that this one sin will be our last and that hereafter we will remain on the narrow path of goodness.
The forest in this tale can be seen as the uncivilized, darkness, the unconscious part of the mind, the socially unacceptable. Native Americans are seen as denizens of this region. Goodman soon meets a figu...more
The forest in this tale can be seen as the uncivilized, darkness, the unconscious part of the mind, the socially unacceptable. Native Americans are seen as denizens of this region. Goodman soon meets a figu...more
Apr 12, 2011
Vin
added it
Puritan and Devil and Fear, Oh My
Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the haunting story of “Young Goodman Brown”, his night mission through the dark forest, conversations with the devil and visions of his fellow Puritan villagers at the devil’s forest altar. I think Hawthorne setting this short story in a Puritan village in the town of Salem, his hometown and so well known for its witch trial history is his contemporary story of how the fear of evil can be worse than the actual evil itself and can create...more
Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the haunting story of “Young Goodman Brown”, his night mission through the dark forest, conversations with the devil and visions of his fellow Puritan villagers at the devil’s forest altar. I think Hawthorne setting this short story in a Puritan village in the town of Salem, his hometown and so well known for its witch trial history is his contemporary story of how the fear of evil can be worse than the actual evil itself and can create...more
Well,
I started Young Goodman Brown thinking that it couldn’t possibly be creepier than Edgar Allan Poe (to which my siblings say something like, “Poe? From Kung Fu Panda?!”) Though I still think that Poe is the king of horror, Hawthorne quite surprised me with his ability to freak me out! When it started off in Salem, I was sort of like, “Really? Again? Man, this guy is obsessed.” I was probably expecting an Introduction to the Scarlet Letter repeat - now that was horrifying. But this? This was...more
I started Young Goodman Brown thinking that it couldn’t possibly be creepier than Edgar Allan Poe (to which my siblings say something like, “Poe? From Kung Fu Panda?!”) Though I still think that Poe is the king of horror, Hawthorne quite surprised me with his ability to freak me out! When it started off in Salem, I was sort of like, “Really? Again? Man, this guy is obsessed.” I was probably expecting an Introduction to the Scarlet Letter repeat - now that was horrifying. But this? This was...more
This is, in my opinion, one of the single greatest short stories ever written. The narrative is so tightly woven, the dialogue genius and subtle, and the prose are extremely sharp. While much criticism tries to explain the allegory as a man's venture into the realm of the sexual, I think that the story is much more universal. For one thing, there's very little to indicate that Goodman Brown's journey is specifically sexual (Freudians will disagree, but I remain unconvinced), and I feel that Hawt...more
I had never heard nor read Young Goodman Brown until I took a critical writing class in the fall of 2010 and was very impressed by the short story. I just loved that it showed the journey of a young man into adulthood as anyone would take.
The way Hawthorne writes about the path that Goodman Brown is on and that of our own is eerie since most of us aren't usually dealing with the devil and yet he does it in such a way that you can see how the decisions that Brown makes can be made by people like...more
The way Hawthorne writes about the path that Goodman Brown is on and that of our own is eerie since most of us aren't usually dealing with the devil and yet he does it in such a way that you can see how the decisions that Brown makes can be made by people like...more
What can I say? I just don't think I am a Nathaniel Hawthorne fan. The Scarlet Letter was torcher to get through, though this story was short so much easier, it still has the doom and I like my happy endings.
In "Young Goodman Brown" the symbolism is very good and gets you thinking from the start. Goodman Brown leaves his wife and she has this uneasy feeling and wants him to stay, Goodman insists he needs to go and proceeds to do so. I know this is supposed to imply he was going to do evil, but i...more
In "Young Goodman Brown" the symbolism is very good and gets you thinking from the start. Goodman Brown leaves his wife and she has this uneasy feeling and wants him to stay, Goodman insists he needs to go and proceeds to do so. I know this is supposed to imply he was going to do evil, but i...more
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I love this story (though only after many readings and discussions on it, at first I was totally creeped out by it). Here's some analysis of the setting I did for a class recently:
Where does the story take place? What time period?
The story starts out in Salem village, Massachusetts during the time when the Puritans populated the small colony. From there our protagonist takes a “dreary road” into the nearby forest, landing him in the deep in heart of the “haunted forest;” to him, a dark and dang...more
Where does the story take place? What time period?
The story starts out in Salem village, Massachusetts during the time when the Puritans populated the small colony. From there our protagonist takes a “dreary road” into the nearby forest, landing him in the deep in heart of the “haunted forest;” to him, a dark and dang...more
*spoilers*
That fire-demon ritual scene really freaked me out. That was so scary!!
It was also so sad that Young Goodman Brown distrusted everyone afterward, including himself, that he distances himself from his beloved wife Faith. He symbolically loses faith in the goodness of people too.
To be honest, I still don't understand what YGB's journey to the forest was for. I know they were going to do an evil thing, but what? The demon ritual? And WHY did he have to go? What covenant was he talking abo...more
That fire-demon ritual scene really freaked me out. That was so scary!!
It was also so sad that Young Goodman Brown distrusted everyone afterward, including himself, that he distances himself from his beloved wife Faith. He symbolically loses faith in the goodness of people too.
To be honest, I still don't understand what YGB's journey to the forest was for. I know they were going to do an evil thing, but what? The demon ritual? And WHY did he have to go? What covenant was he talking abo...more
On the whole, I think that Hawthorne's work is largely underrated. Many people write it off as seeming strange, but isn't that the point that he tries to make when writing about Puritans?
This short story offers insight into Puritan culture and inner turmoil. But it also raises questions of its own that readers can ponder for themselves. For example, did Brown's wife have the same dream that he did?
I found that this story is a great introduction to Hawthorne's more popular work, The Scarlet Lett...more
This short story offers insight into Puritan culture and inner turmoil. But it also raises questions of its own that readers can ponder for themselves. For example, did Brown's wife have the same dream that he did?
I found that this story is a great introduction to Hawthorne's more popular work, The Scarlet Lett...more
This short story features much of the religious belief of the time, that any non-Christian must then be consorting with the devil. It likens Indian "powwows" and witches to one another, and implies devil worship. While neither true "Wiccans" nor Native American faiths are followers of the devil or anyother "evil spirit", I find this story refreshing in that it incorportates sinners from all lifestyles and professions, stating, in it's way, that all men are inherently sinful and possibly evil. Th...more
In my opinion, this was a more effective version of The Scarlet Letter. The pace, the tone, and Hawthorne's discretion - lesser presence - as narrator of this much shorter piece underscored the nature of its subject matter, temptation, for a harrowing effect. I also appreciated how much was unexplained and vague within the story. That it leaves unanswered the questions it raises about the nature of the characters' temptations, the reality of Goodman Brown's experiences, and the ultimate integrit...more
I'm typically not a fan of Hawthrone, but I did enjoy this short story. Young Goodman Brown is distinctly American, drawing upon the Puritan influence in the New England colonies. I find this inventive story of witchcraft and temptation. The story is sobering as it hits home for Hawthrone---Nathaniel references a relative of his who was responsible for sentencing many of the "witches" in Salem to death.
"Goodman Brown" learns that the mere act of encountering temptation, and the price one pays f...more
"Goodman Brown" learns that the mere act of encountering temptation, and the price one pays f...more
This is one of my favorite short stories of all time! I really hated The Scarlet Letter, and when I read this short story for the first time, I thought "oh great, a mini version of TSL" However, I was totally surprised and taken by Young Goodman Brown. This story is so creepy but awesome. I think the symbolism in the story is obvious, but I think that's what makes the story so great. I would totally recommend this to all short story lovers and for anyone who is as interested in symbolism as I am...more
Allagorical account of Young Goodman Brown, a 17th century citizen of Salem, Mass, who, despite the entreatings of his new wife to stay at home, leaves for the evening with an encounter with a mysterious stranger. The stranger (guess who) leads him to see the real lives and desires of his pious neighbors and Goodman Brown's life is shaken forever. It is extremely well written but the theme and outcome were a little over the top for me. Interesting but not necessarily a great read for me.
Read this for one of my classes to analyze. This book was way way different than I thought it would be. Pleasantly surprised but I did have to read it a couple of times to get all the symbolism and meaning behind everything. None the less I did read anther book not from this century and I wanted to gloat! Yippee for me and I was so proud when I went to class and was able to answer a lot of questions. Thank you English class for helping me broaden my library!!
I never cease to be intrigued by this story. It is only about 10 pages long, so it certainly takes no time at all to read, but it definitely gives you plenty to think about and mull over when you are done. I would love to read this in a group setting and discuss it!
Hawthorne touches on themes of good, evil, hypocrisy, what really makes us pure, and does evil come from within or without. A delightful morsel that will have you ruminating for days.
Hawthorne touches on themes of good, evil, hypocrisy, what really makes us pure, and does evil come from within or without. A delightful morsel that will have you ruminating for days.
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Creepy!! Oh my, surpringsly spooky story. Amazing setting, creepy as heck. Nonetheless a fast and easy read. A lot of fun to imagine the scenes. My favourite part of the book is the man going nearly mad. ( or is he already ? ) A fine writer knows how to captivate and scare his readers. Amazing! All in all, it sounds like an ancient campfire ghost story. :)
I must say, I really like Hawthorne. ( despite the religous undertone )
I must say, I really like Hawthorne. ( despite the religous undertone )
Hawthorne let's us into his insight of the madness during the Salem Witch trials. Young Goodman Brown begins with religious belief, and ends in misery - 'losing his Faith'. Hawthorne uses Young Goodman Brown, his wife Faith, and the demonic ritual as props to shed light on all the religious sinners in the town. The symbolism is obvious, but it's an enjoyable short story with a deeper message behind it and a glance into the lives of Puritans.
A beautifully structured short story with deep mythic undertones and a mystery at its heart. Amazing use of symbols, and an unexpected lesson at the end. I love what Hawthorne does here with setting--the world of daylight and the village, pitted against the world of the night forest. I love teaching this story, and I've learned a lot from it myself.
Stephen King recommended. King said his short story "The Man in a Black Suit" from his short-story collection Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales was an homage to Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown."
This story is another classic. Hawthornes carefully weaves beautiful and meaningful symbols and images to depict one man's struggle with himself and his life choices. The story delves into human nature and uses many archetypes to achieve its goal of portraying the temptation of choosing what is easy and inviting over what is good and morally upright. This situation can be seen throughout literature and its lesson is echoed throughout time. This is an important addition to anyone's bookshelf.
I read Young Goodman Brown as an undergrad in an English elective class called Short Story (which ended up being one of the most enjoyable classes that I ever took). Absolutely loved this story about a pious young man's encounter with the Devil and the way that it impacted his relationships.
It is all about virtue or sin? Satirical stories are my fancy, but this one is far too overt for my taste; the comedy is lacking or dry. It is however a universal message about seemingly-religious & hypocritical individuals especially at a time of moral decay in 19th century America.
Creepier than the creepiest ghost story you’ve ever read. I love the haunted, Colonial-era feel of this sad tale of human depravity. Every lover of humanity (not to mention short stories) should read this.
A favorite line:
“Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends.”
A favorite line:
“Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends.”
I had to read this and The Minister's Black Veil in my American Literature class and I really enjoyed both. His works are interesting and great for discussion. It's almost as if I wish he would explain more, but that's the point he usually makes, is to create an event that is an analogy meant for discussion.
The language and atmosphere was well crafted. The story was at first glance a bit preachy and cliched. Maybe there's a deeper meaning that I missed. However, I think it's a rather simple parable of the evil of hypocrisy endemic to Salem Puritanism.
Is this really by the same guy who wrote The Scarlet Letter? Instead of God-awful, this short story was interesting and thought provoking, something that gave me food for thought for a while afterwards.
It's dark romantic version of what Everyman views in his poem. Hawthorne turns an average guy into an alienated figure from society who can never regain his former beliefs. Awesome little story!
Enchanting, Hawthorn plays with your imagination in this snippet of life in Early New England.
he is searching for that "Daydream" like quality that offers, "a foothold between fiction and reality"
he is searching for that "Daydream" like quality that offers, "a foothold between fiction and reality"
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Nathaniel Hawthorne was a 19th century American novelist and short story writer. He is seen as a key figure in the development of American literature for his tales of the nation's colonial history.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told T...more
More about Nathaniel Hawthorne...
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told T...more
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“Depending upon one another's hearts, ye had still hoped that virtue were not all a dream. Now are ye undeceived. Evil is the nature of mankind.”
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4 people liked it
“The fiend in his own shape is less hideous than when he rages in the breast of man.”
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4 people liked it
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Jun 03, 2011 04:09pm