Young Goodman Brown response paper

“Young Goodman Brown,” response paper

“Young Goodman Brown”

This classic story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is rife with sexual undertones and ingeniously deploys several metaphoric devices. The Devil’s staff, the pink ribbons and women riding broomsticks all have easily recognized symbolic meanings. Goodman’s reactions and attitudes toward these sexual symbols reveal a convoluted Puritan view of the reproductive act and also, serves to color a riveting tale.

Goodman Brown leaves his dear Faith with much affection for her. As he left her ”his heart smote him,” and he began to negotiate his feelings. He thought of her remarks and regarded their meaning. She had said, “A lone woman is troubled with such dreams and such thoughts, that she’s afeared of herself, sometimes.” It is rather apparent that this young lady, with the pink ribbons in her hair, needs her husband sexually.

Why is Goodman Brown leaving his bride to go meet with the devil? Perhaps the act of sex itself is the visit to the devil. Goodman views this as an evil event. He refuses to take the Devil’s staff and immediately wants to turn back from his journey into the woods. The man of the staff tells him of his forefathers, “many a pleasant walk have we had along this path, and returned merrily after midnight. I would fain be friends with you for their sake." He seems to be telling Goodman that sex is the only path to having offspring and lineage.

 While Goodman is yet in the woods, Faith flies by over head. He finds her pink ribbon on the ground. She has lost her virginity, and Goodman hurries along the path until it disappears. Then he searches on with staff in hand to find the secret gathering. This is perhaps Goodman’s first sexual experience. This is where the devil tells all; “behold the whole earth one stain of guilt, one mighty blood spot.” Now Goodman understands the truth about sex and that nearly everybody in his society must be doing it.

The puritanical view of sex as immoral or impure is contradictory. When Goodman realizes the truth about sex and people, it disturbs his Puritan perception of piety. Every mother has had sex, and that idea sickened him toward society. His wife wanted sex and that idea forever took away his Faith.

Read “Young Goodman Brown” at http://www.gutenberg.org