Quiz on "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

In the second sentence, the phrase "as she was aptly named" is an example of the narrative mode called:

• Comment

• Speech

• Description

• Report

At the very beginning of the journey, what opinion does Goodman Brown hold about himself and his ancestors?

• He is proud to enter the forest, following the steps of his ancestors

• He is certain about his moral righteousness, but ashamed of the sins of his ancestors

• He is confident of his ancestors' and his own purity, but begins to have doubts as to whether he should go deeper into the forest

• He doubts his morality as well as that of his ancestors

Goodman Brown's naive perceptions of his Puritan community as a group of good Christians begins to be shaken by his fellow traveller's...

• specific references to Brown's father and grandfathers

• abstract comments on Puritanism as a doctrine

• references to Faith

When Goodman Brown returns to the village...

• he is relieved to see that his wife is unharmed

• he kisses his wife

• he deliberately ignores his wife's greeting

• has an argument with his wife

What type of narrator do we find in the story?

• Third-person omniscient narrator

• First person (witness character)

• Third person, with the protagonist being the focaliser

• Third person, objective narrator

Answer explanation

Remember that focalisation is a literary technique whereby the reader sees everything from the perspective of the character that acts as focaliser, thereby colouring and filtering the events. We see everything from Goodman Brown's 'perspective' or 'point of view'. This could make the reader sympathise with the character, since s/he experiences the fears, anxieties, thoughts of Goodman Brown.

How do we call this type of stories?

• Religious sermon

• Moral allegory

• Parable

• Fable

In allegories...

• characters are usually personifications of abstract qualities

• there is only one level of analysis and/or interpretation

• we always find religious undertones

Which of the following statements is NOT true

• An allegory is an extended metaphor –

  using one thing to represent another – a story with dual meanings.

• Nathaniel Hawthorne descended from John Hathorne, one of the Salem Witch Trial judges.

• The story is a successful journey of self-discovery

• Symbolism builds a deeper level of analysis

How can we prove that the Old Man could actually be Brown's alter ego?

• They are opposites: good vs. evil

• Via direct quotations from the text: " in the same rank of life as

  Goodman Brown and bearing a considerable resemblance to him [...] Still they might have been taken for father and son."

• Because the Old Man seems to know everything about Brown

• Because, being an allegory, characters are not always what they seem to be

Consider the following interpretation and briefly supply examples of specific textual evidence supporting or counterarguing said statement (max. 1000 characters):

• “Young Goodman Brown” is an inward psychological journey where Goodman Brown discovers evil in himself but refuses to acknowledge it.

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