Good vs. Evil Young Goodman Brown

Good vs. Evil in Young Goodman Brown Symbolism is shown through many ways in different stories. It is mainly shown through the main theme as well as the smaller themes that are throughout the story. Symbolism is shown through many different parts of this story as well as through each character in unique ways. In the short story, “Young Goodman Brown,” by Nathanial Hawthorn, a story is told about a man named Goodman Brown, who is put through the difficulty of dealing with a similar struggle one night. The characters in, “Young Goodman Brown,” take part in a very important meaning behind the stories symbolism. The protagonist of the story, Goodman Brown, his name has a very obvious meaning. When taken apart, it is split into two pieces of “good man,” and brings the thoughts of this character being a very responsible character throughout this story. Goodman’s wife, Faith, has another symbolic name, relating to religious beliefs, not only for herself, but for Goodman as well. A part in the story, Goodman stated, “Faith kept me back a while” (Hawthorne). This could be taken as his wife held him back, or the religious belief part held him back. Symbolism being shown through these two characters names shows more than just two characters as themselves, it shows how the story can be looked at in more depth and understood behind a different meaning. This story takes place in a dark forest in Salem, Massachusetts. Forests are used to symbolize evil and danger, or even the darkness of the forest may symbolize danger. When Goodman is walking through the forest he soon says to himself, “There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree…What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!” (Hawthorne). Taking the walk deeper into the forest, Goodman soon experiences more things that relate with evil and danger, and the further he goes into the forest, the darker the atmosphere gets. This can add that the deeper the goes into the forest, the closer he gets to the Devil and