A Structuralist Analysis of Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown.

Authors Avatar

A Structuralist Analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown.”

        The structural stages in “Young Goodman Brown” may result in ambivalent reactions by the reader.  One reaction is a plain recognition of the destructive effects of the events of the plot on Brown.  Another reaction is bewilderment as to whether the events really took place or were all fantasy.  The second reaction seems to be more a more common reaction due to the the genre, plot, and structure of the story.

        “Young Goodman Brown” is a short story.  It is a relatively brief narrative of fiction that is characterized by considerably more unity and compression in all its parts.  It’s parts being theme, plot, structure, character, setting, and mood. In the story the situation is this: one evening near sunset sometime in the main character’s house, Goodman Brown prepares to leave his home and his wife, Faith, to go into the forest and spend the night on some mission that he will not disclose other than to say that it must be performed between sunset and sunrise. Although Faith has strong feelings about his journey and pleads with him to not go, Brown is adamant and sets off.

        His business is evil by his own admission.  He does not state what it is specifically, but it becomes apparent to the reader that it involves attending some sort of a witches Sabbath in the forest.  This is a skewed action in view of the picture of Brown, drawn earlier in the story.  The picture being a strong Christian man who loves his wife and who intends to lead an exemplary life after this one night.

Join now!

        The most rising action begins when Brown leaves the village, enters the dark and gloomy forest. After some time of Brown feels he has met the Devil in the form of a respectable-looking man. Brown seems to have made a bargain to accompany him on his journey.  It feels Brown has come to a realization of who his companion is and what the night may hold in store for him because he makes an effort to return to Salem when he says, “‘Too far! too far!’ exclaimed the goodman, unconsciously resuming his walk. ‘My father never went into the woods ...

This is a preview of the whole essay