Humanity has long thought about good and evil in the world and its place in it. Sometimes people come to a conclusion based on their study of tradition or personal beliefs, and sometimes an event pushes us toward certain conclusions. “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorn is a romantic short story laden with gothic symbolism that shows a man's struggle with his own religious beliefs and his understanding of the nature of humanity. The main character or protagonist of the story is young Goodman Brown. He begins as an optimistic young man who believes he lives in a good Puritan town among godly people who “are a people of prayer and good works” (Hawthorne 331). Even his name Goodman implies that he must be a good man. His last name Brown suggests that he must really fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, because if he were Black, that would imply that he was bad, but conversely, if he was White, then he must be of good nature. Instead, he is Brown because humans have both good and evil within them. However, by the end of the story, his view of himself and the people around him has changed due to an experience he had in the woods. Goodman Brown's wife is Faith, and she should be considered both a person and a literal person. symbol of his religious faith. He sees her as a perfect and pure, even angelic, woman who will help him maintain his spiritual beliefs and ensure his entry into Heaven even after joining an evil party, or so he thinks . Goodman Brown believes that “she is a blessed angel on earth; and after that, at night, I will cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven” (330). When he hears her voice in the woods followed by her cry, he believes that his "Faith" needs to be rescued, to which...... middle of paper ......g the mass for him said and Faith “Now you are not deceived!” – Evil is the nature of humanity. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome once again, my children, to the communion of your race! (336). This statement is at the heart of Hawthorne's theme, clearly stating that "evil is in the nature of humanity" (336). He further clarifies that this is the "communion of your race", specifically emphasizing that this concerns the entire human race and not just Goodman Brown or his city (336). Hawthorne doesn't specify whether Goodman Brown actually had an experience in the woods or whether it was just a dream, but whatever it is, it changes him forever. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “Young Goodman Brown.” Literature: an introduction to reading and writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Robert Zweig. 5th compact edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2012. 329-337. Print.