.

             Young Goodman Brown and Faith who is his wife are both strong names that symbolize and represent goodness and innocence along with purity. .

             "Brown's youth and good nature are symbolized by his name. Tharpe writes about Brown, "he represents the young person's introduction into human ways. It is important that his innocence should derive from his youth" (Tharpe 76). Brown's youth suggests that he is an uncorrupted and innocent young man. Hawthorne, by writing, "Faith, as the wife was aptly named," suggests that Brown's wife embodies the goodness that is found in a young wife (Hawthorne 385) (More Symbolismhttp://www.everything4me.netfirms.com/symbolism02.htm).".

             Faith's name as the wife of the couple represent the faith in goodness of marriage that Brown had. When he married someone named Faith it symbolized his hope and belief that the institute of marriage could only strengthen the goodness that he had lived and experienced in his life thus far. .

             "Later in the story, when Brown meets his companion in the woods, he declares, "Faith kept me back awhile" (Hawthorne 386). Here, Hawthorne uses the name of Brown's wife as a symbol for Brown's personal faith in goodness(More Symbolismhttp://www.everything4me.netfirms.com/symbolism02.htm).".

             Symbolism can be overt or subtle. In the case of the story of Young Goodman Brown the author uses both to illustrate the points that he wants to make. When he has Goodman Brown lean back into the doorway to give his wife a kiss before he goes out to the woods the act symbolizes his desire to not go. Because of the doorway that he had to lean across to kiss her goodbye the reader understands that in Goodman Brown's heart he is leaving goodness and innocence, (Inside the doorway) and he is entering evil and darkness, (outside of the doorway). .

             The next example of symbolism that is used within the story is the path that Brown takes into the woods. .

             The reader is given a dark and dreary picture as the path is described by Hawthorne.