Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown"

1. How is "Young Goodman Brown" allegorical?

2. How does the story represent puritan values?
3. How is the story a "Gothic Romance"?
4. What does it mean that Faith is "aptly named"?
5. What journey does Goodman Brown launch at the beginning of the story? Why is
this journey described as a "present evil purpose"?
6. What does the hat with the pink ribbons symbolize?
7. What does Goodman Brown mean when he said, "after this one night I'll cling to her
skirts and follow her to heaven"? What are Brown's feelings towards women?
8. Why is the "Indian" described as "devilish" in this story?
9. Who is the old man that Goodman Brown met in the forest? Describe him? Did G.B
know before that he will meet this man (not wholly unexpected)?
10. Why does the narrator say that the old man is "in the same rank of life as G.B,
bearing a considerable resemblance to him…"? How are they similar?
11. What does the old man's staff represent?
"One of the rods which its owner had formerly lent to the Egyptian Magi."
12. How does the old man use G.Brown's family to tempt him further in the forest?
13. Why does the old man count his friends from among honorable people like the
ministers, deacons, country men, and royalty?
14. Who is Goody Cloyse? Why is she significant in the story?
15. What does Brown's cry "my faith is gone" signify?
16. Explain Brown's reaction after he heard Faith's voice and saw her pink ribbons?
17. What does Brown see in the congregation? Who are the summoned converts? What
are the different sins that exposed in the congregation?
18. How did Goodman Brown change after this journey? Give examples?
19. How did G.B die? Is the story's ending ambiguous or clear-cut?