Category Archives: Week 3

PIOUS

Pious is an adjective.

According to Merriam Webster pious means:  Marked by conspicuous religiosity, a hypocrite.   Falsely appearing to be of good moral.

The word pious is used repeatedly by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the class handout of “Young Goodman Brown.”  On page six,  Hawthorne wrote, “Once, the listener fancied that he could distinguish the accents of town’s-people of his own, men and women, born pious and ungodly….”   Also, on page eight, Hawthorne wrote about Deakon Gookin waiting  for his reverend pastor and stated, “But, irreverently consorting with these grave, reputable, and pious people.”

Goodman Brown could not at first believe he correctly recognized the voices he overheard.   These were people from his church, people whom he did holy communion with.  He could not understand why they professed to be godly but still gathered with people of bad character, some of whom were even criminals to be a part of this demonic event.    The presence of the pastor and his deacon  indicated to Goodman Brown the level of hypocrisy he was witnessing.  He did not understand why the reverend pastor, a member of the clergy and his deacon did not see how ungodly this event was and rebuke those assembled.

Young Goodman Brown

I think the story is written mostly in third person omniscient because it seems to have a voice and description for many characters thoughts and reactions throughout the story. At first thought that this story was third person limited because it mainly showcased the thoughts and feelings of Goodman. “With excellent resolve for the future, Goodman Brown felt himself justified in  making more haste on his present evil purpose.

The reason I was torn between omniscient and limited is because throughout the text you are able to get a visual of many of the characters and descriptions of their behavior. “They turned; and flashing forth, as it were, in a sheet of flame, the fiend worshippers were seen, the smile of welcome gleamed early on every visage”. 

I felt that this style of writing , and most especially the style and language it was written in gave it a very eerie feel. More so than both “A Jury of Her Peers” and “A Rose for Emily”  which were told in third person as well. Within the story of “Young Goodman Brown”, it seems to touch on every character. It seemed easier to gage the intentions and feelings of all those surrounding the main character and opposed to “A Rose for Emily” in which the focus is mainly centered on her. The story talks of her characteristics, habits, attitude and behavior. With “Young Goodman Brown”, one is able to get a sense of each character, and with that, the reader becomes interested in the background of the story as well.

Verily

Verily – certainly or truly.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verily

Used in “Young Goodman Brown”, third page, fourth paragraph [19].  Used as a verb to describe a certainty of how Goodman’s family never would have been into any evil practices.

Or, verily, I marvel not seeing that the least rumor of the sort would have driven them from New England.

Goodman was describing how his family would  have been shocked, and ashamed at the mere rumor that their family would have been involved in any sort of wickedness.

 

Classwork for “A Rose for Emily”

Put the following events in chronological order:

  1. Emily Grierson dies.
  2. Emily’s father, Mr. Grierson, dies.
  3. There is a smell around Emily’s house.
  4. Emily teaches china painting in her house.
  5. Emily buys arsenic from the town’s druggist.
  6. Colonel Sartoris makes up a story to allow Emily not to pay taxes.
  7. The aldermen visit Emily to try to get her to pay taxes.
  8. Mr. Grierson disapproves of all of Emily’s potential suitors.
  9. Homer Baron arrives in town.
  10. Homer Baron disappears.

Today’s discussion will draw from our online discussion about race and the use of objectionable language in “A Rose for Emily,” as well as our further reflections about power in the short story.