bypresents a problem for those readers that need to have a definitive answer about the truth of
the events in the forest. No one knows for sure what really happened to Goodman Brown or Faith.
When Goodman Brown wakes up in the forest after the events or dream, Goodman Brown has lost his
(F) faith.
The story can be divided into three parts: the times before
Brown goes to the forest; his day and night in. the forest; and his return to society. Each
event adds to Browns journey toward his loss of faith.
Faith, Browns wife,
begs him not to go on his errand. Apparently, Brown has made a pre-ordained agreement with
Satan. He is hesitant to go, but something drives him on. Goodman Brown travels to the forest to
meet the devil at an appointed time and place. On the other hand, Brown looks to her for his
moral guidance and uses her as his reason for being late and his need to turn back from his
journey. After this one night, Brown intends to follow his wife to heaven by clinging to her
skirts
The reader must determine for himself whether he believes that the
events in the forest were real or a dream which occurred in the mind of Brown. The truth of
Faiths character is contingent on this decision.
The character
of Faith
Faith appears to be a young woman who loves her
husband desperately. The character of Faith is the picture of innocence. She is described as
sweet, pretty, and angelic with pink ribbons on her cap.
The pink ribbons
that adorn the cap which Faith wears are a badge of feminine innocence. The ribbons are in fact
an direct link between two conceptions of Faith, connecting sweet little Faith of the village
with the woman who stands at the Devils baptismal font. The pink ribbon from Faiths cap flutters
down from the sky and is caught on the branch of a tree. This is the tangible evidence of Faiths
going over to the other side. Yet, Brown does not grab the ribbon for his proof.
Faith appears to be na¯ve and trusting. When Brown hears her on the path from his
hiding place in the woods, Faith seems to be being coerced by the others she is traveling with.
They encourage her to continue on. Faith is submissive and wants to please the others even
though she has doubts and seems sorrowful. Thus, when Brown perceives that she too has been
corrupted, he shouts "My Faith is gone" and rushes madly toward the witches
gathering.
Then Brown hears a scream:
€˜Faith! Faith!
cried the husband, €˜look up to heaven, and resist the wicked one! Whether Faith obeyed, he knew
not. Hardly had he spoken, when he found himself and amid calm night and solitude, listening to
a roar of the wind which died heavily away through the forest.
Was this
real or the nightmare of Brown? Only Faith knows that really happened and she did not share. No
one knows whether she was at home waiting for her husband or in the forest cavorting with the
devil.
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