Journal 12: There is Evil in Everyone

1. “Young Goodman Brown” is an allegory (symbolic narrative).  What do the following represent?

            Young Goodman Brown – He symbolizes the young and innocent before they witness the evil in others.  He also represents Adam in the Biblical Story, Adam and Eve, because he is tempted by the devil to cave into sin and turn away from God. 

            Faith – She also symbolizes Eve, in Adam in Eve, because she is Young Goodman Brown’s wife.  She wears a pink ribbon in her hair to symbolize the goodness that she is.  She represents the faith Young Goodman Brown should have in the Lord, and when he left her, it was like he was losing faith in God.

           

            The Elderly Traveler/Fellow-Traveler – The Elderly Traveler represents the devil because he is tempting Young Goodman Brown and Faith to turn away from God and follow evil.  He even carried a walking stick around with him that had a big black snake carved into it, which symbolizes the snake from the Biblical Story of Adam and Eve.

           

Goody Cloyse – Goody Cloyse was Young Goodman Brown’s catechist teacher when he was young.  She symbolizes how not everyone is perfect and everyone is going to sin.  It was interesting to see her at the ceremony because she is a catechist and is supposed to turn away from evil.  Instead, she is in woods following the devil.  

The Ceremony – The ceremony symbolizes the coming of sin or sinning. When Young Goodman Brown and Faith are at the ceremony, they were introduced to the devil and turning away from God.  The ceremony was a way of confirming that he has lost his innocence and is growing up. 

The Pink Ribbon – The pink ribbon symbolizes the goodness and purity in life.  Faith would wear this in her hair because she believed in following the Lord.  When Young Goodman Brown was in the woods, he saw the pink ribbon falling to the grown.  This meant that there is no good in what he is about to do.

Young Goodman Brown’s Journey – His journey symbolizes the whole Biblical Story of Adam and Eve. It also represents how a child loses their innocence as grow up and face reality. Everyone is innately evil, and there comes a time in life when we just have to face the facts.                       

2. Identify the following for “Young Goodman Brown”: 

Theme                       Message of Theme                 Element Used to Establish  

The theme of this story was sin.  This story is didactic or intended to teach a lesson to its readers.  “Young Goodman Brown” represented the temptation of the devil and caving into sin rather than following the Lord.  Obviously, this is not smart and caused humanity to lose their innocence.  Now everyone is born with original sin because of Adam and Eve’s little mistake.  Therefore, the message of the theme is that humanity is innately evil.  No one can escape the known fact that no one is perfect and we all make mistakes.  This theme was established with the plot and conflict. Young Goodman Brown’s journey was about his conflict in believing in the Lord.  “My Faith is gone!” cried he, after one stupefied moment. “There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name.  Come, devil; for to thee is this world given” (6).  As he got deeper and deeper into the woods, he began to lose faith in God and started to follow the devil.  “The road grew wilder and drearier and more faintly traced, vanished at length, leaving him in the heart of the dark wilderness, still rushing onward with the instinct that guides mortal man to evil” (6).  Then as soon as he entered the ceremony, he realized his mistake and wanted to leave, but it was too late.  “Depending upon one another’s hearts, ye had still hoped that virtue were not all a dream. Now are ye undeceived. Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again, my children, to the communion of your race.”  It is human to be curious and end up doing the wrong thing that could impact your life.  Even after the ceremony, Young Goodman Brown could not live his life the same way knowing that others had loss their innocence too.  His sin caused him to live the rest of his life depressed.   

Journal 11: The Beauty of Nature

“Where I Lived and What I Lived For” (232)

The author is stating that humans have too many unnecessary possessions.  As technology advances, humans do not seem to care about Mother Nature.  It is good that humans are advancing, but we should not be moving forward so quickly. Things should stay simple. Technology corrupts us and takes us away from our true selves. It is able to distract and disconnect us from other people. For example, a cell phone and computer are two distracting technologies that people spend most of day on, instead of playing outside.  Those technologies are taking us away from what is really important in life, like sunshine.  We think technology is improving in our live, but really it’s just a burden.

           

Quote: “We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us.”

“Sounds” (234)

This passage is about the unique way of nature and how everyday is full of different sounds and images.  The narrator is stating that as he watches each day pass from morning to night, he realizes that he is not wasting his time because he is admiring the way nature can change in just moments.  He is living in the present as he experiences the sounds of nature.  He notices that life is beautiful and it is important that you should not miss it.  

Quote: “I had this advantage, at least, in my mode of life, over those who were obliged to look abroad for amusement, to society and the theatre, that my life itself was become my amusement and ceased to be a novel.”

“Brute Neighbors” (235)

Brute Neighbors is a passage about a satirical war.  The author is comparing the black and red ants to people fighting in war.  He is stating that people fight over petty things.  As the black and red ants are fighting over wood chips, human beings are fighting against each other for land, money, or power.  It is interesting to see how all the aspects of nature are alike to the aspects of humans. While the author is watch nature, he realizes that it is similar to watch humans.  There are not many differences between a tiny creature and a man. With both groups, there is a distinction of rivaling groups, brutality, and pettiness that causes of war.

            Quote: “and the results of this battle will be as important and memorable to those who it concerns as those of the battle of Bunker Hill.”

“The Pond in Winter” (237)

The author is stating that nature is where creatures live and flourish without questions. A pond in winter is beautiful because of its ability to be different while it still remains the same.  For example, in the winter the top of the water freezes over while the underneath remain to be a liquid.  This is incredible when you think about it because it looks as if nature is at rest, but really under the ice it is still the same. Winter makes everything seem empty, but there is still life thriving in the moment.  Nature is always beautiful, especially in winter.  

Quote: “Heaven is under our feet, as well as over our head.”

“Spring” (238)

Spring is the new beginning of every year.  It is when the flowers bloom and animals come out from hibernation that makes everything come alive.  It is also the beginning of better weather, so more people are happy.  It is incredible to watch the world go from dead to flourishing in a matter of months.  Spring is the world’s rebirth and starting process of beginning anew.

Quote: “The coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.”

Journal 10: Inside Othello's Head

Right before Othello committed suicide, he began to realize the mistakes and accomplishments of his life.  For his own epiphany, he stated to others that he was not a bad person. He was a proud warrior that defeated the Turks, commander of his troops, followed the law, and lived his life to the fullest.  However, it was his last mistake that would affect his life the most and lead him to his death.  Othello believed his “friend” rather than his loving and loyal wife.  Instead of communicating with Desdemona, he assumed that Iago was correct with his philosophy.  Othello had fallen for Iago’s wicked tricks and killed a loyal friend named Cassio and his wife Desdemona in trying to stop Iago’s belief. He hated himself for taking the life of innocent and beautiful human beings so much that he believed he had to do something to make amends.  Therefore, he believed that sacrificing himself would be the best way to die because he still wanted to be recognized and respected for the person and solider he was.