Rigidity of Puritanism Exposed in Young Goodman Brown
Proverbs 10:28 implies the idea of the universality of sin in
saying "The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked
come to nothing." In "Young Goodman Brown", Nathaniel Hawthorne
illustrates this through Brown's actions. When Brown lives a righteous
life with good faith, his thoughts remain pure and happy. He has a
wonderful wife, and he enjoys the presence of everyone. As he takes his
walk into the forest and into evil ways, his hopes and faith disappear. He
no longer loves his wife in the same way, and he despises everyone whom
people consider were holy. When he loses his faith, he loses his happiness.
To regain his happiness, Brown must find his righteousness again.
Puritans believe there is no hope for a sinner. Hawthorne uses a variety
of writing techniques to condemn the rigidity of Puritanism.
For example, Hawthorne uses a wide variety of diction to create a
mystical and hopeless mood. As Brown walks into the "dreary" forest, an "
uncertain" feeling comes over him as he looks ahead to the "gloom" awaiting
him. The forest is very dark and dreary and these words help create the
eerie mood. These words create an insecure and unsure feeling in the
reader's mind. The reader feels as if he stands right there on the
outskirts of the forest along with Brown. That type of feeling scares even
the bravest of men. Hawthorne also describes the events taking place in
the forest as "devilish," "horrid," and "evil." Evil completely surrounds
Brown in the forest. It puts a thought in him which drives him crazy.
These words give a v...
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...ands before him with the guilt of sin.
He can never remember these people in the same way in which he wants to.
His views on the righteousness of humanity change from good to bad. Hence,
Brown loses his comradery with his neighbors, and he dies a lonely death
with no hopeful verse on his tombstone.
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The main characters in Hawthorne's story "Young Goodman Brown" are Goodman Brown, his wife Faith and the stranger who accompanies Goodman Brown in the forest. At the beginning of the story Brown is bidding his wife, Faith farewell at their front door. Taking a lonely route into the forest, he meets an older man who bears a fatherly resemblance to both Brown and the Devil. Later that night Brown discovers to his amazement, that many exemplary villagers are on the same path including, Goody Cloyse, a pious old woman who once taught him his catechism, but who readily shows that she certainly knew the Devil and practiced witchcraft. With Brown still confident that he could turn back, his older companion departs, leaving behind his curiously snakelike staff and fully expecting that Brown would follow.
The fact is that in our country, any government intrusion looks undesirable. We are so used to making free choice and to having access to everything we need and want that we have already forgotten the value and usefulness of the government control. No, that does not mean that the government must control everything and everyone. What I mean here is that the government control should be balanced with the freedom of choice. Unfortunately, plentiful foods do not lead to improved health conditions. We cannot always make a relevant choice. Our hurried lifestyles make us extremely fast, and eating is not an exception. We eat fast, but fast does not always mean useful. I believe, and in this essay I argue that the government must have a say in our diets. Because there are so many obese people, because obesity is an expensive disease, and because very often it is due to poverty that people cannot afford healthy foods, the government must control the amount and the range of foods which we buy and eat. Healthy foods must become affordable. Poor populations must have access to high quality foods. The production of harmful foods should be limited. All these would be impossible if the government does not take active position against our diets.
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To survive in life we need to consume food whether it is for nutritional value or for the pure enjoyment of its savory taste. Individuals, not the government, have the right to choose what and when to eat; but good nutrition is important to maintain health and live a long and happy life. People need to make choices everyday about what they put into their bodies. Without proper nutrition, our bodies may not be able to function correctly. Most adults know what is good and bad for the body. We all know that diets rich in fruits and vegetables fuel the body in a healthy way and that protein gives us energy. Although we know what food is best for our bodies, each individual has a personal choice of what they put into their bodies and that should not be dictated by the government, even though