Young Goodman Brown Group

Question:

shortygirl01
shortygirl01
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What is the significance of the names of the title character and his wife, in the story "Young Goodman Brown"?

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Posted by shortygirl01 on Wednesday January 14, 2009 at 7:10 PM and tagged with characters, names, protagonist, significance, wife, young goodman brown.

Answers:


  1. rshaffer Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    Both the names Goodman Brown and Faith are symbolic of innocence and purity.  Goodman is a surname similar to using Mr. in today's society.  Referring to a man as "Goodman" also meant that the man was in good standing within the community.  In naming his characters Goodman and Faith, Hawthorne establishes his story as an allegory.  Brown's name is symbolic of the Everyman while Faith's name is symbolic of Goodman Brown's faith in society and mankind.  Hawthorne repeated uses references to Faith throughout the story to show Brown's ambivalence in taking this dark journey. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/young-goodman/style

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    Posted by rshaffer on Wednesday January 14, 2009 at 9:35 PM