Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) American author Ancestor.
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Transcript of Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) American author Ancestor.
Nathaniel Hawthornehttp://www.eldritchpress.org/nh/hawthorne.html (1804-
1864)• American author
• Ancestor was a judge in the Salem witch trials
• Preoccupied with Puritan past
Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Themes of sin and its consequences
• Complex symbolism, allegory
• Novels: The Scarlet Letter; House of Seven Gables
Types of Conflict
• Person vs. self
• Person vs. others
• Person vs. God
• Person vs. Nature
• Find evidence of each type
Movement of Events• Exposition
– Background of Faith’s love (par. 1-7)• Complication
– Goodman Brown’s discussion with the devil (par. 18-24)
– Brown’s internal deliberation (par.15, 17, 21, 39, 46, 48)
– Goody Cloyse talking with the devil (par. 27-36)– Deakon Gookin meeting the devil (par. 41)
• Climax– The service and the decision to fly (par. 55-69)
• Denouement– Living gloomily ever after (p. 310)
• Natural Setting
• Hostile
• Salem, MA, around 1690
• Sunset, night
• Dark
• Forest
• Names of Characters– Allegorical significance– Historical significance
• provides an eerie sense of authenticity
• Protagonists = Goodman Brown and Faith
• Antagonists = The Devil and townspeople
• Title– Goodman Brown could be anyone
—“Everyman”– The story is about a universal problem
—good (Goodman) versus evil (Brown)
• Point of View– Third person limited through Goodman
Brown’s eyes– Why?
Allegorical:Every aspect of the story has
significance• Names
– Faith– Goodman Brown– Goody Cloyse– Martha Carrier– Deakon Gookin
• Forest setting– Darkness of sin
• Staff– Serpent, Satan,
biblical reference
• Pink Ribbons– Innocence– Purity– Love
• Cloud– Reverse of the biblical
“cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12:1
Allegorical Parallels between Meeting and Church Service
• Dreadful anthem = Hymn singing• Rock = Altar or pulpit• Blazing pines = Candles• Assembled
townspeople = Church congregation
• Satan = Pastor• Swelling chorus = Church choir/organ• Presentation of
converts and basin
of blood = Baptism
• Like the characters, setting, and title, the theme is ambiguous
• Is this a dream or reality?
• Is faith really true? Can anyone be trusted?
• Is all apparent goodness mere hypocrisy?
• No clear answer is given