Essay on Symbols, Symbolism, and Allegory in Hawthornes...

Symbols, Symbolism, and Allegory in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Symbolism is a literary technique that is used to clarify the authors intent. Sometimes it is used to great effect, while other times it only seems to muddle the meaning of a passage. In Young Goodman Brown, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses objects and people as symbols to allegorically reveal his message to the reader. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses different people as symbols throughout Young Goodman Brown. The largest symbolic roles in the story are goodman Brown and his wife Faith. Both of the characters names are symbolic and representative of their personalities. With Heaven above and Faith below, I will stand firm against the devil! cried goodman Brown, is†¦show more content†¦Hawthorne does an excellent job of turning the main characters into symbols that are prominent throughout the story. Nathaniel Hawthorne also uses different objects in the story as symbols. One of these is the staff of the devil : But the only thing about him, that could be fixed upon as remarkable, was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake . . . (185). This symbol shows the reader the evil that is involved with the devil character because the serpent is an archetype of the devil, or some sort of evil, which is prominent in many different cultures. Another object Hawthorne uses as a recurring symbol is the pink ribbon. The pink ribbon symbolizes the purity and innocence involved with Faith. And Faith . . . thrust her own pretty had into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons in her cap, is a great example of how Hawthorne correlates Faith with the pink ribbons of innocence (184). The pink ribbons are mentioned later on in the story as they fall from the sky: But something fluttered lightly down through the air, and caught on the branch of a tree. The young man s eized it, and beheld a pink ribbon. (189). This symbolizes Browns loss of his Faith, referring to both his wife and his faith in mankind, as she hovers over toward the devils gathering. Another element in Young Goodman Brown that is related to symbolism is allegory. The story is an excellent example ofShow MoreRelatedYoung Goodman Brown Analysis876 Words   |  4 PagesHawthorne’s story, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† appears to be a story about original sin with a lot of symbolism tied in to make it an allegory. An allegory is a story that can be interpreted in different ways to find the hidden meaning behind the symbolism in the story. The three things focused on throughout the short story is Faith, the forest that Goodman Brown takes his journey through, and the staff, which the old man who leads Goodman Brown on his way carries. The short story, â€Å"Young Goodman BrownRead MoreAllegory in Young Goodman Brown Essay1008 Words   |  5 PagesNathaniel Hawthornes short story Young Goodman Brown is an excellent example of an allegory. 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