Symbolism and Allegory in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown :: Young Goodman Brown YGB

Symbolism and Allegory in Hawthornes Young Goodman BrownSymbolism, something that figuratively represents something else, is prominent in many literary works. One piece of literature that stands out as a hone example of signism is Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown. This account statement is completely symbolic, and provides a true(p) example of an allegory, or a story in which concrete items or characters represent abstract ideas. Hawthorne uses both objects and people as symbols to better instigate the allegorical tones throughout Young Goodman Brown. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses diverse people as symbols throughout Young Goodman Brown. The largest symbolic roles in the story are goodman Brown and his wife Faith. Both of the characters names are symbolic and representative of their personalities. With Heaven to a higher place and Faith below, I will stand firm against the teras cried goodman Brown, is righteous one of many quotes that directly relates goodman Browns per sonality with his name (189). Goodman Brown is genuinely a good man. Faith, goodman Browns wife, also has a name that is indicative of her nature. The story directly supports this point in the phrase Faith, as the wife was ably named . . . (184). Faith is persistent in trying to keep goodman Brown off the path of sin in the first part of the story . . . pry thee, regorge off your journey until sunrise, and sleep in your own bed to-night (184). Hawthorne does an thin job of turning the main characters into symbols that are prominent throughout the story. Nathaniel Hawthorne also uses different objects in the story as symbols. One of these is the staff of the devil But the only thing about him, that could be fixed upon as remarkable, was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake . . . (185). This symbol shows the reader the evil that is involved with the devil character because the serpent is an buffer of the devil, or some sort of evil, which is prominent i n many different cultures. Another object Hawthorne uses as a recurring symbol is the strike hard ribbon. The pink ribbon symbolizes the purity and innocence involved with Faith. And Faith . . . overindulge her own pretty had into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons in her cap, is a great example of how Hawthorne correlates Faith with the pink ribbons of innocence (184).