How Does Nathaniel Hawthorne Use Symbols In Young Goodman Brown

Nathaniel Hawthorne portrayed symbolism throughout several of his pieces of literature to allow individual perception of a particular object. In Hawthorne’s short story, Young Goodman Brown, he mentioned goodman Brown’s “acquaintance” throwing him the staff or what looked like “a maple stick” to allow faster travel. (Young, 617) This staff includes a carved serpent around it that symbolizes an evil demon much like the devil from the Bible. “‘Come, goodman Brown!’ cried his fellow-traveler, ‘this is a dull pace for the beginning of a journey. Take my staff if you are so soon weary.’” his partner said trying to convince him to continue. (Young, 615) Like Eve from the Bible, goodman Brown faced temptation, when he was hesitant to go on, from the devil to get to
Pink is the color of purity and innocence, and throughout the story, goodman Brown slowly starts to lose the innocence along with his Faith by listening to the devil. Hawthorne mentioned the ribbon in the beginning of the short story, saying that, “...Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap…” (Young, 613) This shows the happiness and the innocence of her character. Throughout the story he slowly begins to realize that he is losing his Faith and innocence as he makes his way through the forest. Goodman Brown even ends up saying that ”’My Faith is gone!’” (Young, 619) In the end, it is unclear whether it was a dream or a warning of some sort, but, goodman Brown exits the forest to find his wife Faith with the pink ribbon in her cap again. Hawthorne mentions that “Turning the corner by the meeting-house, he spied the head of Faith, with the pink ribbons…” which shows that the innocence was given back again in a way. (Young, 622) The pink ribbon as well as Faith represented his Faith and innocence throughout the