“I Could Have Sworn It Was Real”

A commentary on the Ambiguity of Young Goodman Brown

Sarah Lemon

            It’s a universal experience and we all recognize it. We’ve all felt that collective sense of dread and doubt; the entrapment of a darker power, at one time or another. The story of “Young Goodman Brown” is a gothic tale that reflects on personal, inner evil and the evil within those around us. Hawthorne allows the characters as well as the reader to draw their own conclusions, leaving room for generalizations in his story, and to let the ideas fester. Hawthorne’s use of ambiguity in dialogue and description serves to keep the protagonist and the reader open and unsure, forcing them to think outside their comfort zone to draw their own foreboding conclusions. By examining Hawthorne’s diction, we will analyze how Goodman Brown, the supporting characters, and the reader feel in response to the uncertain and haunting situations they find themselves in. Some of the ambiguity comes from the thoughts of Brown himself, which the author uses to bewilder the reader, as well as the supporting characters, on the Devil’s presence, or the validity of the evil around him. Some of it comes from his surroundings, mainly to confuse and terrify Goodman Brown, but also to add a sense of terror for the reader by taking advantage of fear-induced empathy.

            Hawthorne begins the narration of the plotline instantly, with no definite introduction or background information. This forces the reader to immediately attempt to fully understand the situation at hand, perhaps subconsciously overcompensating for their initial and abrupt confusion. To begin the piece, Goodman Brown leaves his wife for a trip or errand of some sort. The ambiguity presents itself in the dialogue with his wife as she asks him not to leave. “Of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee. My journey, as thou callest it, forth and back again, must needs be done ‘twixt now and sunrise.’” (pg. 111) As Brown leaves, he gives no indication to what he is actually leaving to accomplish. When he refers to his “journey, as thou callest it,” he chooses his words very carefully, placing the emphasis on his young, innocent wife’s perception of the trip for one or more of three reasons. He could be implying that she is too naïve to comprehend what is really happening, he is trying to confuse her with his subtle condescension, or that he has no idea about what he is actually doing and depends on his wife’s judgment beside his own. By adding this vague description to the conversation, Brown might be opening up an opportunity for Faith to make sense of something neither of them understands, in hopes that she’ll say something that puts his mind at ease. In any case, this allows room for Brown’s uncertainty of his journey, and for his wife to be left questioning more than she was, prior to his departure. The dialogue immediately hooks the reader to learn what this journey entails, and feels a sense of anxiety for what he/she is about to learn of it. Not only do we not know what to think, but a main character lacks this same certainty. This anxiety comes from the vague implication that Faith could ultimately be left without her husband, as well as the fear inside us of “the unknown.”

            Later in the story, Goodman Brown grows increasingly unsure of his surroundings, mental stability, and willpower. The ambiguity in this case comes from the dialogue with those around him. While he is attempting to put all the pieces together, so is the reader. Brown is sitting in the woods, hiding from a woman whom he learns to be a witch, and the devil. He reflects upon his childhood, remembering her as the woman who taught him all his virtues as she speaks to the Devil as if he were royalty. He hears her say to him, “I made my mind to foot it; for they tell me there is a nice young man to be taken into communion to-night.” (pg. 115) The woman speaks this vaguely twice, first, when she says, “they tell me.” This compels Brown and the reader to ask, who are they? It implies there are at least several others with the same ideas and intentions as this deceiving woman who keeps company with the devil. While we ask who, we are also inclined to ask what their motive as a unit is. Moreover, she refers to a “nice young man,” being brought forth for communion. Hawthorne’s diction here is clever, relating her description to Goodman Brown’s name; “nice young man,” to “good young man,” and finally “young good man.” The common, descriptive phrase she uses is undeniably reflective of Brown’s name. He does not seem to notice it however, which conveys his scrambling and busy mind, too preoccupied to make any rationality of the situation. Hawthorne blatantly uses the word “communion” in order to confuse Brown and the reader on all accounts. This is primarily because in this setting, communion is most often used to describe the eating of the blood and flesh of Christ in a Puritan Church. The combination of something that is so holy and the evil practices which seem to ensue implies a turn of events that Goodman Brown is ill-prepared for.

            The ending, above all, is the most ambiguous piece of the aspect of the entire narration. He concludes with Goodman Brown’s death, declaring that “his dying hour was gloom.” He lives and dies overcome with dread, and neither he nor the reader receives any closure. Hawthorne gives neither confirmation nor denial of the presence of the devil within the hearts of Brown or his company. Goodman Brown dies not knowing the truth, and perhaps a piece of the reader’s hope dies along with him.

            In the end, everyone is virtually clueless due to Hawthorne’s indefinite diction to keep the sense of uncertainty alive. By being so vague in his descriptions, specifically in dialogue, he forces Brown and the reader to think more deeply and search for a meaning themselves. For Brown, this results in severe paranoia for the remainder of his life. As for the reader, it results in a placement of oneself into the story, and vicariously experiencing Brown’s skepticism. Hawthorne’s ambiguous style keeps the mind of the reader and Young Goodman Brown open to and responsible of claiming the story and conclusions for themselves, as well as contemplate on the darkness that lives inside them.

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X__Sarah E. Lemon