Much of the setting and other events in the story are symbolic, and add a greater level of meaning to an otherwise simple story. The sunset in the beginning can be seen as symbolic of an end of sorts, in this case Brown’s faith in God and his fellow man. Often the use of a voyage, such as the one Goodman Brown takes, is symbolic of moving through life or experiences. Where he travels to, the woods, is frequently another symbol of death or danger in a story. Brown feels trapped by evil in these woods.

“"There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree," said Goodman Brown to himself; and he glanced fearfully behind him as he added, "What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!"” (Hawthor

“the road grew wilder and drearier, and more faintly traced, and vanished at length, leaving him in the heart of the dark wilderness, still rushing onward, with the instinct that guides moral man to evil.” (Hawthorne, 408).

“"My Faith is gone!" cried he” (Hawthorne, 408) as the light vanishes. The cloud here symbolizes all that is evil, and it’s blocking of the pure light of the stars shows the obscuring of the vision of faith by evil. Deeper and deeper into the darkness Brown goes, in search of his lost Faith. “Thus sped the demoniac on his course, until, quivering among the trees, he saw a red light before him” (Hawthorne, 408)

“He looked up to the sky, doubting whether there really was a heaven above him. Yet there was the blue arch, and the stars brightening in it. "With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!" cried Goodman Brown. While he still gazed upward into the deep arch of the firmament and had lifted his hands to pray, a cloud, though no wind was stirring, hurried across the zenith and hid the brightening stars.”(408)

In this eerie setting, with the red light of the burning trees, Brown sees many faces whom he associates with the devout followers of God, including the deacon of his church, and possibly his own dead father. At this juncture, Goodman Brown witnesses the baptism of his wife into what he can only assume to be evil based on the scene laid before him.

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