Final answer:
The narrator in 'Young Goodman Brown' enters from the outset and creates ambiguity about whether the events described are real or a dream, deeply affecting the protagonist's character and worldview.
Step-by-step explanation:
The narrator in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" enters the story at the very beginning and has a profound effect on the narrative and its themes. The presence of the narrator creates a sense of psychological depth and ambiguity, particularly around the events Goodman Brown experiences and their reality versus dream-like qualities. Through Hawthorne's use of a third-person omniscient point of view, the story explores themes of faith, the nature of evil, and the complexities of human morality.
When the narrator describes Goodman Brown's experiences, readers are prompted to question whether these events actually happened or if they were just a dream. For example, the story's closing notes question whether Goodman Brown's nightmarish journey was a dream, reflecting this uncertainty and having a significant effect on Goodman Brown's character, making him stern, darkly meditative, and distrustful. The use of an omniscient narrator who knows more than the protagonist or any other character allows the exploration of individual consciousness and the impact of perceived sin and evil on one's psyche.