The Loss of Faith and Trust is one of the major themes in the short story "Young Goodman Brown" written by Hawthorne. The story Young Goodman Brown is about a man, the loss of his faith he suffers, the loss of his wife, and the sense of security that he once had in his community. But what was exactly the cause of this loss? Was it an elaborate plan created by the Prince of Darkness or the cause of his own actions?.
Goodman Brown is a Puritan in the ages of the Salem Witch Trials. A simple man with the beliefs of that time, (that evil is everywhere). A man who has faith in good and believes he can resist the forces of evil and temptation, he sets out to a quest in the dark wood where he shall try to refuse the temptations of the devil and return to the village before sunrise. .
Right here we can see that already Goodman Brown has a sense of pride and presumption. This false pride and presumption is one of the factors of his fall. How? Goodman Brown already starts off the journey in a bad attitude, thinking he can overcome any evil and resist the strongest temptations.
"With this excellent resolve for the future, Goodman Brown felt himself justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose refusing all evil.".
Goodman knows what he must do but dreads the deed. Upon entering the forest he is suspicious of every rock and tree, thinking something evil will jump out at him. .
"There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree What if the Devil Himself should be at my very elbow!".
When he finally does meet someone on the trail, which appears to be of evil origin, he is taken back and tremors a bit at the sudden appearance of the traveller.
Right here we can see already the fact that sudden surprise has shaken his false pride. He regains his confidence and refuses any temptations offered. This evil person makes several advances and Goodman refuses. .
This makes Goodman feel strong until they meet his childhood catechism teacher and see her turned.
