Analysis Of The Book Young Goodman Brown By Nathanial...

Everyone Changes Change is inevitable, it is part of life. However, change is a complex process and the reason individuals change may vary from person to person. Change most often comes from experiencing a traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one, a major failure, a life crisis, a relationship ending, being fired from a job, life threatening illness, etc. Change may also come from stories we read, hear or see, which may include family legends, myths, fairy tales, novels, movies, television programs, etc. (Kottler, 2013). In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† by Nathanial Hawthorn the protagonist, Goodman Brown, takes a walk through the forest, which turns out to be a dramatically life changing event. Throughout the story, Goodman Brown†¦show more content†¦One night, he kisses his wife goodbye and embarks on a journey which he believed neither his father, nor his father before him had ever gone on. Goodman embarks on a night journey through the forest, which ca n be symbolic to the journey of life. He encounters numerous people and events that have dramatic effects on the rest of his life. As Goodman leaves his wife and home, he turns for one last look at her, â€Å"peeping after him with a melancholy air, in spite of her pink ribbons† (Hawthorn, page 1132). Before entering the forest, he says â€Å"Poor little Faith! †¦ What a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand!† (Hawthorn, page 1133). Not only does this statement represent Goodman saying good-bye to his wife, but the statement also foreshadows him saying good-bye to his faith in God and human kind. Not far into his journey, Goodman meets a mysterious old man who was waiting for him to guide him through the forest. In regards to appearance, the old man showed a â€Å"considerable resemblance to him, though perhaps more in expression than features† (Hawthorn, page 1133). The close resemblance makes Goodman feel he can trust him and follow in through the forest. However, the old man symbolizes evil and temptation. He carries a staff, â€Å"which bore the likeness of a great black snake (Hawthorn, page 1133), which symbolizes the snake that persuaded Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in The Garden of Eden. The first time Goodman stops and