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The setting in which the story takes place greatly influences the story. In Young Goodman Brown, the dark woods create an ominous and uneasy feeling that sets the tone for the rest of the story and reflects Brown's internal conflict. As soon as Goodman Brown begins walking toward the woods and enters it, he describes the journey as "a dreary way, darkened by the gloomiest trees, which scarcely parted to admit the narrow path, and immediately closed in behind. The whole was as solitary as could be" (Hawthorne), creating that mood and tone of darkness and melancholy. The isolation that accompanies the woods as he goes deeper causes Goodman Brown to feel disconnected from his idea of solace, which are his community and his faith, painting the woods as a temptation that leads him to sin. The moral ambiguity of the woods reflects the uncertainty of human nature, where good and evil are intertwined. The dark woods also symbolize truth in a way. He encounters respected people in the town, including his wife, which makes Goodman Brown understand that sin exists in all of them. Thus, the dark wood symbolizes the temptation and sin to which we are exposed daily, but it also represents the truth that every person has sinned and carries a hidden evil within. Furthermore, it reinforces the ominous and uneasy feeling felt throughout the story.
Likewise, faith, both in his wife and in his belief in humanity, is an anchor that connects him to his community and his religion. At first, he sees his wife and her belief as pure and innocent. His wife's presence reassures him, and he loves her deeply, as Goodman Brown states: "After this night, I will cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven... And what peaceful sleep would be hers that very night... in the arms of Faith!" (Hawthorne). His faith in his belief keeps him steadfast and resistant to temptation and sin as he exclaims, “With Heaven above and Faith below, I’ll stand against the Devil!” (Hawthorne). However, as he continues his journey and enters the darkness of the forest, he witnesses the sins that the townspeople have hidden, as well as his wife’s pink ribbon. His faith, both in his wife and his belief, is shattered at that moment, as he cries, “My Faith is gone!” he exclaimed, after a moment of stupefaction. “There is no good in the earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to you is this world given.” (Hawthorne). As he reaches the end, he looks back on his wife and the townspeople with a bitter perspective, his faith shattered, believing that everyone has a sinful side. The hypocrisy of his community is exposed: people who preach piety, yet fall into temptation and sin, yet then judge others for the very actions they commit. Goodman Brown's loss of faith, both in his wife and in his beliefs, shaped the story's bitter ending. Goodman Brown becomes bitter and distrustful of people and their beliefs.