The Old Man In Young Goodman Brown

In Young Goodman Brown, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the old man in the forest is not mentioned or called by name, but it is quite clear who and what he represents. The old man is very symbolic in the story. He is able to awake doubt in Goodman Brown who seemed to be so firm in his faith. His resemblance to Brown and his familiarity with Brown 's ancestors, draws a relationship between the mystery man and innocent Goodman Brown. When the old man speaks, he is always trying to show Brown how evil has already been part of his life, and been undetected. The crisis of the story is the battle between good and evil, and how the evil, being the old man can be quite convincing or even creative and illusive.

The old man in the story has no name, and the author only describes small details, and it is up to the reader to understand the significant meanings. In the story the old man goes by many names, and the

Brown’s initial thought is a foreshadowing of who might be the nameless man, and the author entices the readers to assume something supernatural. The narrator speaks of this assumed evil character, as being close to Brown making the reader question Brown’s goodness, and his intent. The author writes, “But the only thing that could be fixed upon as remarkable was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake” (962). The old man’s staff looks like a living black serpent, creating a very sinister image for the old man. Serpents are naturally frightening and perceived as danger to most people. While darkness, refers to the sinister appearance of the staff, in conjunction with the one holding it. The imagery surrounding the old man in the woods, always adds to the feeling that the old man is not a person at all, and seems to be a supernatural