Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Young Goodman Brown." The Story and Its Writer : An Introduction to Short Fiction. Ed. Ann Charters.
The story begins with Goodman Brown leaving his wife, Faith, to go meet a “presence” in a dark forest. He comes face to face with a being that is perceived by the reader as the “devil.” He then witnesses a ritual in the forest and is unsure of whether he should be repulsed or join in. Upon further investigation of the ritual, he is shocked to see various people from his village partaking in the ceremony and is especially shocked when he sees his own wife. He finally gives in and is about to enter the ritual, but before doing so he cries out for salvation. After a quick flash he finds himself alone next to rock in a calm and dark forest. His outlook on life changes dramatically and he lives as a recluse for the rest of his life. Hawthorne never expands on whether the experience is dream or reality.
The theme of the story exhibits a struggle one has with darkness. The protagonist goes into the forest with a relative naïve mind not knowing what to expect. He feels strong and imbedded in his faith. The devil points out Goodman Brown’s flaw of believing that people in his village are good and alludes to the fact that instead of being servants of God they are in reality serving evil. After his encounter, Goodman cuts ties with his neighbors and discontinues his relationship with his wife. He lives the rest of his life in gloom, shrouded with darkness.