Journal #12 - Young Goodman Brown

1. “Young Goodman Brown” is an allegory (symbolic narrative). What do the following represent?

Young Goodman Brown – A good man, human beings in general


Faith – Religious faith


The Elderly Traveller/Fellow-Traveller – Satan, temptation, evil


Goody Cloyse – Religious hypocrites


The Ceremony – Humans giving in to sin


The Pink Ribbon – the loss of faith


Young Goodman Brown’s Journey – The knowledge of good and evil



2. Identify the following for “Young Goodman Brown”:

Theme Message of Theme Element Used to Establish

Sin Sinning is inevitable. Allegory








In addition, provide three direct quotes from the story that address your theme.

“The deacons of many a church have drunk the communion wine
with me; the selectmen of divers towns make me their chairman; and a majority of the Great and
General Court are firm supporters of my interest. The governor and I, too -- But these are state
secrets.''

“What if a wretched old woman do choose to go to the devil when I thought she was going to
heaven: is that any reason why I should quit my dear Faith and go after her?''

``There,'' resumed the sable form, ``are all whom ye have reverenced from youth. Ye deemed
them holier than yourselves, and shrank from your own sin, contrasting it with their lives of
righteousness and prayerful aspirations heavenward. Yet here are they all in my worshipping
assembly. This night it shall be granted you to know their secret deeds: how hoary-bearded elders of
the church have whispered wanton words to the young maids of their households; how many a
woman, eager for widows' weeds, has given her husband a drink at bedtime and let him sleep his last
sleep in her bosom; how beardless youths have made haste to inherit their fathers' wealth; and how
fair damsels -- blush not, sweet ones -- have dug little graves in the garden, and bidden me, the sole
guest to an infant's funeral. 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. Far more than this.
It shall be yours to penetrate, in every bosom, the deep mystery of sin, the fountain of all wicked arts,
and which inexhaustibly supplies more evil impulses than human power -- than my power at its
utmost -- can make manifest in deeds. And now, my children, look upon each other.''