Unit 1 Review - Young Goodman Brown

If the theme of Young Goodman Brown is "None of us are pure and perfect people, because sin is in our nature", which of the following quotes BEST supports the theme?

• "Poor little Faith!" thought he, for his heart smote him. "What a wretch am I, to leave her on such an errand! She talks of dreams, too."

• "By the sympathy of your human hearts for sin, ye shall scent out all the places where crime has been committed and shall exult to behold the whole earth one stain of guilt!"

• With Heaven above, and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the Devil!

• "Let us hear which will laugh the loudest! Think not to frighten me with your deviltry!"

Read paragraph 65 (page 7). How is the mysterious man's address to the people gathered in the forest important to the story as a whole?

• It helps illustrate that the fight against evil must be a collective effort amongst the Townspeople.

• It demonstrates that Young Goodman Brown is the only good person amongst the Townspeople.

• It helps show that even the most righteous elders amongst the townspeople are inclined to evil.

• It allows readers to better understand how badly the Natives are treated by the Townspeople.

Paragraph 65 showed that even the most righteous elders amongst the townspeople are inclined to evil. Which detail from paragraph 73 (last page) BEST supports this?

• "Be it so, if you will. But, alas! it was a dream of evil omen for young Goodman Brown. A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man, did he become,

  from the night of that fearful dream."

• "When the minister spoke from the pulpit, with power and fervid eloquence, and with

  his hand on the open Bible, of the sacred truths of our religion, and of saint-like lives

  and triumphant deaths, and of future bliss or misery unutterable, then did Goodman

  Brown turn pale"

• "Often, awaking suddenly at midnight, he shrank from the bosom of Faith, and at

  morning or eventide, when the family knelt down at prayer, he scowled, and muttered

  to himself, and gazed sternly at his wife, and turned away."

• "And when he had lived long, and was borne to his grave, a hoary corpse, followed by

  Faith, an aged woman, and children and grand-children, a goodly procession, besides

  neighbors"

Read paragraphs 71-73 (last page). How does Goodman Brown's experience affect his perception of the world?

• He becomes more committed to his religion.

• He grows skeptical of the power of God.

• He falls ill from the stress of his dream.

• He becomes more suspicious of human nature.

Paragraphs 71-73 show us that Goodman Brown became more suspicious of human nature after his experience in the woods. Which quote from the story BEST supports this?

•  "Goody Cloyse, that excellent old Christian, stood in the early sunshine, at her own

  lattice, catechising a little girl, who had brought her a pint of morning's milk."

  (Paragraph 71)

• "But Goodman Brown looked sternly and sadly into her face, and passed on without a

  greeting." (Paragraph 71)

• "But, alas! it was a dream of evil omen for young Goodman Brown. A stern, a sad, a

  darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man, did he become, from the night

  of that fearful dream." (Paragraph 73)

• "when the family knelt down at prayer, he scowled, and muttered to himself, and gazed sternly at his wife, and turned away." (Paragraph 73)

The central theme of the story is "None of us are pure and perfect people, because sin is in our nature." How are the details of the mysterious man's staff important to the development of this theme?

• It resembles a snake which is associated with sin and evil.

• It takes on different appearances, showing how deceptive evil is.

• It is intricately decorated, proving the traveler's wealth and power.

• It can be used as a weapon and hints at the danger of the traveler.

Describe the impact made by the author's decision to name Goodman Brown's wife "Faith". Use at least two quotes from the text to support your answer.