Goodman Brown goes into the forest a young man who has been married for only three months to his love, Faith. Being young and unable to understand the complexity of human nature, goodman Brown saw people as either sinners or saints, there was no in between for him. In Puritan times, to go into the forest at night was unholy and sacrilegious. In order for goodman Brown to go into the forest, he must leave behind his wife, his faith, his religion, and his c

Once in the forest, the devil leads goodman Brown along a winding path in which goodman Brown begins to encounter his initiation. He comes across first goody Cloyse, who was the one that taught him his catechism. Goodman Brown wants to avoid any confrontation with goody Cloyse, so he cuts through the woods while the devil sticks to the path. It is when the devil approaches goody Cloyse that goodman Brown realizes that she is a follower of the devil, and good acquaintance. After this shock, goodman Brown refuses to proceed any further; however, the devil tries to convince him by saying, “‘You will think better of this, by-and-by’” (1239). Not wanting to pressure goodman Brown, the devil throws him his staff and tells him to continue once he is rested. Then, the devil darts out of sight. While goodman Brown is resting, he experiences an even more traumatic surprise. He hears the voices of the minister and deacon Gookin traveling on horseback. It is at the this point when goodman Brown starts to doubt the existence of heaven because he is seeing religious leaders in his community in an unholy place. However, he regains his normal Puritan train of thought and shouts, “‘With Heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!’” (1240).

After his journey into the forest, goodman Brown doesn’t feel like he is a part of society. This is mostly because he realizes there

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