Goodman Brown begins his journey into the realm of evil fully confident that he would emerge victorious in fending off evil. He believes that he would eventually go to heaven along with his angelic wife and says to himself "Well; she's a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night, I'll cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven" His faith in himself, in his beliefs and in his wife is so strong that he feels justified in undertaking this journey to encounter evil in the forest, blissfully unaware of the existence of evil in and around him. The co

mpelling need for him to face his fear of the unknown, drives him to continue on this symbolic trip of awareness despite his slight apprehension. During the course of his journey his companion the devil offers Brown his snake like staff so that he would not be exhausted. Brown refuses to take the staff saying, "having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came. I have scruples, touching the matter thou wot'st of." These words and his reluctance to accept the staff indicate that Brown resists temptation by turning down the initial overtures of the devil. The devil further tries to entice him to join his rank by indicating to him that all the revered deacons and also Brown’s ancestors are indeed the devil’s companions. Though Brown is disturbed by these revelations he moves on persistent in warding off evil temptations and returning to his normal life after this trip.

While good and evil co-exist, the lure of the evil often causes man to question his beliefs and undergo a test of his faith. This test could bring about, enlightenment and alter him for the better or an awareness to alter him for worse. Sadly enough, the midnight vision altered Young Goodman Brown for the worse. Goodman Brown, in attempting to retain his piousness loses faith in mankind, in attempting to resist temptation, becomes judgmental of others and of their sins and in attempting to identify himself, he loses his ability to forgive others, thus losing the very premise of his character and morality. A person, in his need to prove his morality would end up actually proving the contrary when he becomes oblivious to everything except man’s potential to sin.

During his journey through the forest, Young Goo

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