Young Goodman Brown and his wife Faith are both literal representations of their name. Young Goodman Brown begins as a young-good-man. He is symbolic of any young-good-man, and represents how easy it is to fall into temptation. Faith, is his wife, and his belief in virtue. Hawthorne establishes this in quotes from Goodman Brown such as, “I’ll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven” (260). Goodman Brown also comments when he first meets the antagonist, “Faith kept me back awhile” (261), revealing the

The staff carried by the antagonist supports his intentions. The staff resembles, “a great black snake …a living serpent” (261). Snakes and serpent like creatures are symbolic of an evil presence. The staff is evil and represents evil in whoever is carrying it. The antagonist offers his staff several times in the story, twice to Goodman Brown as an attempt to convert him. Also to Goody Cloyse who once was Goodman Brown’s spiritual advisor. She accepts the demonic staff from the antagonist; and disappears. She is not seen again until the demonic ceremony. Eventually Goodman Brown picks up the staff the antagonist left behind for him and takes on another persona. The good man that once was, is now as frightening as the devil himself.

Hawthorne uses imagery throughout the story, creating a mood for each setting. The story begins at sunset, while Goodman Brown is saying goodbye to his wife. That is the only glimpse of sunlight in the story, is before he sets out on his evil errand. The road Goodman Brown ventures down is described as, “dreary, darkened by all the gloomiest trees” (260). The road is intimidating; Goodman Brown fears evildoers may be hiding in the thick of the forest. Hawthorne’s description of the road, accentuates the ungodly purpose of Goodman Browns task. The deeper in the forest he gets the louder and more haunted it becomes. The forest begins to creek, and there is a sound of, “howling of wild beasts” (266). He is traveling through “the heart of

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