Hawthorne demonstrates his theme in the story which is evil, and how it can corrupt humans. Since we're humans we sin so, in reality, we can't be perfect. Were as Goodman Brown thought that people shouldn't be sinning. However, he was blinded by his faith and trust for everyone around him.
Symbolism is used to communicate Hawthorne's theme. Faith's pink ribbons and the old man's staff are forms of symbolism in this short story. Faith's pink ribbons symbolize her innocence and purity. Goodman believes he heard Faith's voice in the forest but isn't positive it was her because he had faith. That is soon crushed when he sees her pink ribbon flying through the sky. Now Goodman is sure that Faith has fallen. Her innocence is no longer there and Goodman now loses his faith in her. The staff is the second form of symbolism used. It's supposed to be something Goodman could utilize to travel faster through the forest. The staff is in the form of a serpent and appears to be moving so Goodman wanted nothing to do with at first. However, Goodman is human and the temptation gets the better of him. The old man, who really is the devil showed that even Goodman could have a weakness. Faith was the one who was corrupted by evil even though she seemed to be the purist in Goodman's eyes.
Another way Hawthorne communicates his theme is through foreshadowing. Goodman shows examples of foreshadowing at the beginning of the story. When Goodman is first leaving he says " There was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done to-night". This tells us that something bad was gonna happen in the woods during Goodman's walk. Another form of foreshadowing occurs when Goodman says " What if the devil himself should be at my elbow". Here we can imagine how close evil was to Goodman because right after an old man appears in the woods. All foreshowing happens to point towards darkness.
The Final way Hawthorne communicates his theme throughout the story is characterization. Goodman, Faith, and the Old Man are the main characters that are characterized in the story. Goodman is characterized as a good Christain who is just recently married to his wife Faith. Goodman is proud to part of a family that has a history of godly men and is offended when the old man tells him of his father's sins. However on his walk through the forest, his curiosity gets the best of him and observers a devil's ceremony. Faith is characterized as an innocent, pure, trusting, and beautiful girl. Faith, in the story, then turns out to be the one who is being welcomed into the devil's ceremony. The person whos is characterized as the purest in Goodman's eyes ends up being a complete opposite. The Old Man is characterized as a regular person, even though he's really the devil in disguise. In a story, you would think an old man would be innocent as well. The Old Man does prides himself over the godly men who he has been able to turn to evil including relatives from Goodman. The devil has a way you trick you into getting close to evil.
The fight between good and evil is shown in this story. Symbolizes foreshadowing, and characterization are ways that are used to communicate the theme. Hawthorne's allegory is used to show how our beliefs will be tested.
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