Nathaniel Hawthorne’s

Young Goodman Brown

Reading with a purpose…

Recurrent Hawthornian Themes:His Critique of Puritan society

Recurrent Hawthornian Themes:

† the importance of self- knowledge† the “fortunate fall” or loss of

innocence as the price of mature awareness

† The impossibility of earthly perfection† Private versus public persona† The duality of human nature† The antagonism between the individual

and society† The dangers of isolation

Key Hawthornian Ideas:

† the role of nature† Human Nature† Natural World

† morality

† Knowledge† Self† “Worldly”

Hawthornian Images:

† light and dark† masks and veils† the labyrinth path† the moonlight of imagination† the fire of passion† the cave of the heart† The Altar and the pulpit

To Be Observed While Reading Young Goodman Brown:

† The deterioration of the relationship between Goodman Brown and Faith

† The deterioration of the relationship between Goodman Brown and the townspeople

† The effect of isolation on Goodman’s mentality

† The blurred line between illusion and reality relating to Goodman Brown’s journey

† Hawthorne’s implied statements about Puritan life, family life, God and the devil, and the human soul