In the innocence and experience unit of the textbook, there are three short stories that portray the movement of wisdom. For example, in the short stories A&P by John Updike, Girl by Jamaica Kincaid and Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne each one of the protagonists experiences a moment in which knowledge is thrust upon them. Moreover, in Young Goodman Brown, the author portrays how Puritan New England society is corrupted by evil. Goodman Brown, a firm believer in his Christian faith and the Puritan community in which he resides, struggles between the good and evil nature of mankind after his journey into the forest. Will young Goodman Brown resist evil temptations, the devil or falter into the hypocrisy of the Salem village? In Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the setting of the story is 1846 Salem, Massachusetts. During this time period the Salem witch trials had occurred, Salem is a Puritan village that seems to be a good Christian community that is free of evil doing. Young Goodman Brown is the protagonist of the story, the Devil and his wife Faith are two antagonists in the story. In the beginning of the story, Goodman Brown leaves his newly wedded wife Faith to head on his journey, “And Faith, as…show more content… Young Goodman Brown begins to believe his wife and the people of Salem are evil, “My Faith is gone!” “There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come devil; for to thee is this world given.” Young Goodman’s Brown experience was life changing, he was once a husband man had great respect for his religion and for the people of Salem village. His journey into the forest and his witnessing the devil’s communion had ultimately led to his withdrawal from faith. This experience enlightened Goodman Brown and moved him to wisdom about the hypocrisy of Puritan New England
