Rosie Charles
AP ENG III
Young Goodman Brown
The story of Young Goodman Brown is one of many “gothic tales” in the late 17th century. Like most tales, it has a plot dealing with the devil and the deals that are made with him. Unlike most plots, it was not from the devil’s point of view, and, of course, the character didn’t follow through with anything. Also, in this literature, the writer appeals to some many concepts of the rhetoric triangle. These concepts help readers break down and interpret the writing.
The first concept of the rhetoric triangle that I noticed is that of appeals to emotion. This short story is completely dedicated to emotion. By the dark setting, it is suppose to set off fear and suspense, and the author succeeds. An example of this is, “It was now deep dusk in the forest, and deepest in that part of it where these two were journeying.” This direct quote only exemplifies the proof that the author’s intended purpose was to install some sort of anxiety or fear into the reader.
The diction within this short story really brings it all together. One main part of diction that stands out is the precise word choice. The author uses old English that uses words like: thou shalt, sayest, ‘t (it), etc. By using this sort of “slang”, the story and feeling of the time comes to life for the reader. It also helps the reader understand the type of people/ beings the characters were.
Lastly, is the great and dramatic irony of this short story, In the beginning, Young Goodman Brown comes off as this Christian man whom can do no wrong. But then he is seemingly trapped in this world so unknown to him. He is in a dark place that exhumes evilness. Another thing that is ironic is the part when he wife comes back in to the picture. This is something that is not expected because he is seemingly sneaking off from his wife, of three months, to do his “mission”.
In conclusion, the short narrative of Young Goodman Brown is once of pure excellence. This story is highly proclaimed as one of the best pieces of literature in American works. What makes this story stand out is for one: the author’s writing style. Unlike most gothic authors, he writes in the language that is expected of the characters to speak. Also, it is dark, without being horribly tarrying like Edgar Allan Poe for instance.
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