StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Common Traits shared Between Goodman Brown and The grandmother - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Through a proper use of characters, the short story is considered an excellent literature portraying the seventeenth-century Puritan society. On…
Download free paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96% of users find it useful
The Common Traits shared Between Goodman Brown and The grandmother
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Common Traits shared Between Goodman Brown and The grandmother"

Character Comparison Nathaniel Hawthorne uses characterization appropriately to present the themes throughout his short story “Young Goodman Brown”. Through a proper use of characters, the short story is considered an excellent literature portraying the seventeenth-century Puritan society. On the other hand, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” written by Flannery OConnor uses characterization to present human pettiness and manipulation. Although the two short stories relay a different message, some characters relate and contrast in their personalities.

Though different at some instances, the character traits of Goodman Brown, the protagonist in “Young Goodman Brown” and The grandmother, the Protagonist in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” are closely related hence used appropriately to present themes and enhance flow of the stories. Both characters are dominant as evident in the two stories. Dominance is a situation where by an individual is in control of a situation and determined in achieving an ultimate goal. Further, the individual believes and trusts the heart and mind in efforts to fulfill one’s desire.

The grandmother proves indomitable when the idea of going to Florida on their vacation is raised in the family. Through her dominant character, she does not approve the idea and tries convincing the family otherwise (Diyanni 203). She wins her family’s confidence and henceforth alters their plans, which later led them to their tragedy. Although she is determined in fulfilling her desires of going to Tennessee, her resolution lacks importance and she ultimately resorts to deception in order to get her way (204).

This then carries heavy consequences. On the other hand, Goodman Brown proves dominant in his determination to go on a journey to the forest to accomplish an unknown task (84). Despite pleas from his wife, Faith, he is stubborn in fulfilling his desire of meeting the unknown stranger. Just like The grandmother, his decision leads him to trouble since his encounter with the stranger who is depicted as the devil turns him wicked in everything he perceives (85).Second, both characters are religious.

First, Goodman proves his religious character when he reminds his wife to say her prayers before going to bed (85). This portrays some spiritual aspect in them. In addition, when Goodman is convinced by the devil to take a walk with him, he murmurs that good and honest Christians would never approve such a walk. This shows his stand on Christianity as a religion. Likewise, The grandmother is portrayed as religious during her last moments when her life is at venture. In such a situation, she offers a prayer to Jesus.

Although a Christian, The grandmother does not live in accordance to Christianity (207). She remembers Jesus when she is about to die and prays for redemption. She even goes to a point of asking the Misfit to pray for her. The Misfit however denies her pleas and shoots her. In this case, she is not concerned of his salvation but her survival.In contrast, The grandmother is a manipulator. She stands by her decisions and maneuvers others. Although she is aware of the risk she is putting the family’s life by her deception, she still does not change her mind on the idea (204).

She is selfish and satisfies her desires by manipulating others. From the story, she is only able to let go off her manipulative ways only after her death. On the other hand, Goodman is maneuvered. This is evident when he decides to follows his heart’s desires. He turns away from God and becomes a captive of the devil (86). In so doing, he portrays weak faith. He is manipulated by the devil to choose iniquity rather than good. He no longer believes that good he always stood for, ever existed and he completely changes to a man who views wickedness in everything he perceives.

In conclusion, the two characters are immensely similar in their traits. They pose great interest on how they convey their characteristics to draw the attention of their readers. However, they also differ in some personalities in relation to the message they impart to the readers. This becomes an incentive to the readers making them yearn to read more and more of the two short stories. Both authors make use of the protagonists to make the stories flow and present themes accordingly.Work CitedDiyanni, Robert.

Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 6th ed. Boston: Thomson, 2006.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“The Common Traits shared Between Goodman Brown and The grandmother Essay”, n.d.)
The Common Traits shared Between Goodman Brown and The grandmother Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/literature/1590211-the-common-traits-shared-between-goodman-brown-and-the-grandmother
(The Common Traits Shared Between Goodman Brown and The Grandmother Essay)
The Common Traits Shared Between Goodman Brown and The Grandmother Essay. https://studentshare.org/literature/1590211-the-common-traits-shared-between-goodman-brown-and-the-grandmother.
“The Common Traits Shared Between Goodman Brown and The Grandmother Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/literature/1590211-the-common-traits-shared-between-goodman-brown-and-the-grandmother.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Common Traits shared Between Goodman Brown and The grandmother

Young Goodman Brown

Young goodman brown Young goodman brown is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1835.... … Name: Course: Subject: Date: Young goodman brown Young goodman brown is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1835.... Young goodman brown Young goodman brown is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1835.... But no, no; 't would kill her to think it” (Young goodman brown, Web)....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Faith, Hypocrisy and Conflict As Mirrored in Young Goodman Brown

A new historical analysis of the short story, ”Young goodman brown “ by Nathaniel Hawthorne throws light on the conflict caused in an individual by the hypocrisy of those whom he admires and shows how it causes him to lose his faith.... Young goodman brown sets out from home one night to take part in a ceremony of witchcraft, leaving his wife Faith behind.... On the way he meets a stranger who looks like him, and as they proceed through the woods, young goodman brown sees and hears many men and women who he had thought were righteous, going to the same witches Sabbath and being on friendly terms with the devil....
4 Pages (1000 words) Book Report/Review

Growing Up Stories in the Young Goodman Brown and My Kinsman, Major Molineux

The paper "Growing Up Stories in the Young goodman brown and My Kinsman, Major Molineux" states that there is nothing which can be taken away from the story and the writing of Hawthorne since it remains as beautiful as it was years ago when it was first produced.... Even the clothes of the common people are described as, “Embroidered garments of showy colors, enormous periwigs, gold-laced hats, and silver-hilted swords (Hawthorne, 1851, Pg.... hellip; brown comes to suspect everyone around him for having no faith and pretending to be virtuous Christians....
6 Pages (1500 words) Book Report/Review

Barn Burning and young goodman brown

Young goodman brown.... Snopes to leave the country (Skei & A Comparison between “Barn Burning” and “Young Good Man brown” Barn Burning is a story that opens in a certain country store where a young boy named Sarty is hungry for cheese and meat in the store but he is very afraid since his father, Abner Snopes is accused of burning down Mr.... In Young Good Man brown, the author describes a young man who losses his innocence because of his corrupt ideals, a trait that suggests that whether the events that took place in the forest were just but a dream or the reality the innocence that he lost was something that was inevitable (Hawthorne 14)....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Young goodman brown

Reading “Young goodman brown” was undeniably confusing and sometimes confusing, which seemed too difficult to unravel its meaning in the first time (Zhu 58).... However, rereading the text, it dawned to me the entire account and its characters were Young goodman brown Reading “Young goodman brown” was undeniably confusing and sometimes confusing, which seemed too difficult to unravel its meaning in the first time (Zhu 58).... "Allegory And Symbolism In Hawthornes Young goodman brown....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Fahad Young Goodman Brown Question

Nathaniel Hawthorne creates a dark story about good and evil in “Young goodman brown.... ?? goodman brown leaves town for an important meeting and goes into the forest.... He… goodman brown becomes “a stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man” after his experience in the forest because he has lost his innocence when he learns that the devil February 17, Broken Innocence, Broken Humanity in Hawthorne's “Young goodman brown” Faith that is strong can conquer all challenges and sin, and without it, a Christian;s life is lost forever....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

My Grandmothers Bedroom

The reporter stresses "10 years after my grandmother's burial, but sweet memories of her presence still linger in my mind anytime I enter her room.... … As the paper declares "positioned on the western side of the compound, her door facing on the setting sun, my grandmother's bedroom had a spectacular balcony view where she used to sit and see the sunset.... My grandmother had planted a lot of Chinese plants which she had valued them as medicinal through their good scent....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Young Goodman Brown

The narrator tells the story a young person called goodman brown who departs his wife Faith in search something strange in the forest.... Young goodman brown Young goodman brown is a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne and it uses the third person narrativepoint of view.... The narrator tells the story a young person called goodman brown who departs his wife Faith in search something strange in the forest.... Young goodman brown....
1 Pages (250 words) Admission/Application Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us