Question

Craft and Structure

(a) By calling this story a parable, what expectations does Hawthorne set up for the reader?
(b) Does the story meet those expectations? Explain your response.

Answer 1

By calling the story a parable, Hawthorne sets the expectation of a moral or lesson. 'Young Goodman Brown' meets these expectations by conveying a moral about the dangers of temptation and the corrupting effects of evil.

Step-by-step explanation:

In calling the story a parable, Hawthorne sets up the expectation that the story will have a moral or lesson to convey. Parables are often used to teach or illustrate a particular moral or religious concept. The reader may expect to find symbolic elements, allegory, or a deeper meaning in the story.

In the case of 'Young Goodman Brown,' the story does meet those expectations. It can be interpreted as a moral tale about the dangers of succumbing to temptation and the corrupting effects of evil. The character of Goodman Brown is faced with conflicts between his faith and the temptations he encounters in the forest, ultimately leading to his loss of innocence and faith.