Nature Of Evil In Young Goodman Brown

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devil himself” in his presence (2208). He is disturbed by the fact that he “knows not who may be concealed by the innumerable trunks and the thick boughs overhead; so that with lonely footsteps he may yet be passing through an unseen multitude” (2208). This suggests to the reader that he is no longer feeling the comfort and safety he felt at home and is suspicious of what lies ahead. Brown is fearful of his mission even before leaving. However, in leaving the village, he leaves religious order, the familiarity of the scenery, and his beloved Faith. Upon entering the forest, he becomes victim to the possibility of the discovery and consequences of evil. In fact, it is in the forest where evil manifests itself to him in the form of an older man of the same dress and class as Brown. It is this experience which ultimately affects his outlook of the world.
Taken at a literal level, the story is about a man who goes on a journey to the forest and encounters various strange situations. However, the narrator...