In the short story “Young Goodman Brown”, the author Nathaniel Hawthorne frequently used the concept of evil to create suspense throughout the duration of the story. The most significant point in the story when Hawthorne does this is at the ceremony in the forest which appeared to be a witches Sabbath. At this point, with Goodman Brown and his wife Faith at the ceremony, the old man who I assume is the devil stated “Depending upon one another’s hearts, ye had still hoped that virtue were not all a dream! Now are ye undeceived! Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again my children, to the communion of your race!”. The devil is basically saying that it is normal human nature to sin and find happiness in what you do without worrying about the repercussions of a higher power such as God. This point is emphasized by all the people that Goodman Brown knows at the ceremony such as Goody Cloyse, Deacon Gookin and his wife Faith. These people who he believed to be good Christians were embracing the devil in what he described as the communion of the human race.
I believe that the suspense that is created at this moment is whether or not Goodman Brown will turn towards the devil and evil, or keep his faith in his beliefs. With these people that he cared for and respected, at the ceremony, it became an easier choice for Goodman Brown to attend the ceremony. The thought of being with his wife was enough to make Goodman Brown betray his convictions. When his beliefs interfered with what he wanted, he chose to abandon them. In the beginning of his journey through the forest, Goodman Brown could not be persuaded by the devil to venture further into the depths of the forest. In the end, it was not the words of the devil that persuaded him, but rather the people around him that had succumbed to evil that changed his mind.
I would agree the concepts of evil that you have presented do show how it is used to create suspense throughout the story especially at the withes Sabbath but I believe there is a bigger concept used rather than just evil. I would say doubt is a bigger concept that is backed up by the concept of evil. Doubt is being shown to cause greater suspense since before the witches Sabbath, the old man talks of Goodman Brown’s father and grandfather and how he has dealt business with them personally. This news strikes Goodman Brown and causes him to start having doubts since his own family that he thought were Christians as well as he is would do such a thing. This leads up to the witches Sabbath and how he saw his neighbors and people from town who he knew were Christians attending and participating in this ceremony. This is another example of doubt being used to create suspense since the next day when he returns back to town, he sees his wife and the people from town different now which has caused him to have doubt in his own religion.
Overall I agree with this post because the short story “Young Goodman Brown” is mostly surround by the concept of evil. From the way the narrator set the setting to when he describe the ceremony to which Goodman realize everyone evil side. It’s all set up for the reader to visual a creepy woods dark feeling, its also not just about a evil feelings but also fear is brought up most of the time. I disagree with the ending of this post, for what I understood towards the end when he woke up and started wondering around the town, he’s feeling were described as a man who was disgusted and also feared the people that he thought he once knew but them dreamed about them as a complete different person. So I don’t believe he becomes evil or changes his ways I believe he just started viewing everyone as the sinners that they really are and how they lied about them self.