“Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

As I read the story of "Young Goodman Brown" I found it to be both inspiring and depressing. It was a very well written story of a mans journey and lessons on overcoming evil. Goodman Brown found that he had put to much confidence in himself and his own power to control every situation that he might confront. He believed that his will and faith were stronger than the Devil's. He allows himself to be tempted. He overcomes the temptation but I fear he loses the battle.

Goodman Brown returns to his faith and looks to God during his trial and is saved from the hideous ceremony. Unfortunately, He also sees so much that he loses his faith in his fellow men and his beautiful wife. His life becomes a living hell where he no longer trusts anyone. This is unfortunate because he will never know whether he was being beguiled by the Devil. It is the way he chooses to live his life under the misconceptions that makes the story depressing in the end.