“Young Goodman Brown” and “The Most Dangerous Game” Fiction Essay In “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Most Dangerous Game,” authors Nathaniel Hawthorne and Richard Connell employ plot, setting, and irony to create themes that are morally powerful. Although these two stories have large similarities they also have major differences. The theme of Good vs. Evil in “Young Goodman Brown” and the overall theme of Instinct vs. Reality in “The Most Dangerous Game” are achieved successfully through the use of these literary elements. Hawthorne and Connell both used the plots in their stories to create the sense of fear and uncertainty which is used to build tension during the conflicts. In the story “Young Goodman Brown,” the main character is walking …show more content…
“Young Goodman Brown” is ironic because Brown resists evil so much, yet it drives him mad for the rest of his life. “A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man did he become from the night of that fearful dream” (Hawthorne). Although he had managed to get through the night without giving into to the wickedness around him, he went mad and could not enjoy the rest of his life. Instead, he had gone so crazy from the night that may or may not have happened, that he spent his life in fear and distrust of those around him, thus contributing to the theme Good vs. Evil. “The Most Dangerous Game” is ironic in many different ways. Rainsford escapes being hunted, yet he goes back for revenge and kills the man that was hunting him. When he goes to kill his hunter he states that “[he] is still a beast at bay” (Connell). Similarly to the other story, Rainsford seems to have gone mad as well. Instead of just leaving the island, he chooses to go back for revenge and kill the man that almost killed him. This story is also ironic because, at the beginning, Rainsford makes comments about animals not feeling fear. This hinted at the events to come later in the story, with him being hunted himself. These ironies play into the central theme of Reason vs. Instinct because, although Rainsford escaped his death, the animal instincts within him told him to go kill his hunter instead of escaping the island. The
Everyone on the boat fears the island because there have been rumors saying that the people entering never come back out. While on the deck of the boat, Rainsford explains to one of the sailors that animals cannot feel pain or fear, while later he himself is hunted and is extremely fearful. When Rainsford is on the island he says to general Zaroff that he is a hunter not a killer, even though hunters kill animals, who he believes does not have emotion. The irony was effective because it set the stage for Rainsford because he never knew that one day he would be hunted like an animal and be so fearful. Rainsford believes that animals have no feelings, even though later in the story he is very fearful and knows how the prey
Analysis of Young Goodman Brown and The Most Dangerous Game Patrick V. Porterfield Liberty University Online Spring 2016 ENGL 102-D48 LUO Richard Connell and Nathaniel Hawthorne portray both of their protagonists as intelligent and capable members of their societies of their times with the adept ability of discernment in the tactical sense. With high morals, they believe in fair play and honesty. The antagonist portrayals in both stories depict the silent and deep hidden evil that lurk in all societies. If one seeks the evils, they will find it.
Question 2: In Hawthorne’s story “Young Goodman Brown”, does it matter whether or not the protagonist, Goodman Brown, Dreamt the events in the story? Introduction Hawthorne‘s “Young Goodman Brown” (YGB) is such a richly layered, compelling and compact masterpiece that lends itself to multiple interpretations and dimensions of meaning when read with different approaches. It is all at once: a satirical allegory, a gothic story, a psychological investigation of Hawthorne’s own mind, a historical treatise of American Puritanism, a feminist record of woman’s plight in Puritan Times, a condensed dispensation of Hawthorne’s philosophical and religious beliefs and also a vent for his own personal catharsis.
‘Bah! They’ve got no understanding’” (54). Through Connell’s use of indirect characterization, readers can conclude that Rainsford has an extremely unsympathetic outlook on hunting and the value of life. He does not mind killing living beings and even believes that he has the right to kill because he is a superior individual. Furthermore, Rainsford believes that the animals that he hunts are not capable of feeling any emotion at all.
Thesis statement: in the two stories “The Most Dangerous Game” and “The Child by Tiger”, we find that humans can have darkness in them, which we see in both the main characters in the stories. The situations that bring on this dark side for our two characters are rather different when we look at and compare them. 1. The good nature of humanity A. Prosser showing kindness to the kids B. Zaroff lending a helping hand to Rainsford 2.
Different types of fiction change the way a story is told. Both “Hunters in the Snow” by Tobias Wolff and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell use specific traits from literary and commercial fiction to develop their plots. “The Most Dangerous Game” is about a hunter named Rainsford who is traveling on a boat. One night he leans too far off the ship and falls. No one hears this fall and he can only swim to the nearest island, oblivious to its danger.
He had to fight himself to stay on track. He was so scared in the jungle while the General was trying to hunt him. On page 186, it says “He could not say where he was. That was suicide.” This shows the reader that Rainsford may be thinking of what could go wrong, and is not thinking on the positive side of things.
Rainford exposes his selfishness and lack of empathy by saying, “‘Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes-the hunters and the huntees. Luckily you and I are hunters’”(2). His actions throughout the story show his cruelty too. Rainsfords profession is killing animals, and while he does
How will this turn out for rainsford read the story to find out. hunts something so very unusual. Throughout the story connell uses Mood irony and suspense . Mood is used in this story a lot but here was a really amazing version of it that I found. When Rainsford is on the island and approaches the mansion that contains the hunter of
“Young Goodman Brown.” : An Annotated Bibliography “Young Goodman Brown” is a story about a man who challenges his faith in himself and in the community in which he resides. Gregory, Leslie. " The Text of Nathaniel Hawthorne 's "Young Goodman Brown". " American Literature Research and Analysis.
Compare and Contrast Essay: Rough Draft (needs editing) What draws people to goodness and what draws people to evilness? Is it the belief in a higher power, is it the journey we experience in life or is it the mistakes we make in life. In the stories “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “The Prodigal Son” from the bible Luke, qualities that make us good and evil are similar and different in both stories.
In his short story “Young Goodman Brown” Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism and imagery to show the concept of good versus evil. Symbolism is essential to literature because it helps create meaning and emotion in a story. Imagery is crucial to literature because it helps create a vivid experience for the reader. Hawthorne uses both to draw the reader in.
The desires of humanity often reflect the temptations residing in the heart’s depths. Evil’s lure is a strong pull felt by all, regardless of the appearance put on through the conscious mind. In literature, temptation is explored thoroughly, especially in the short story, “Young Goodman Brown”. “The tale becomes in great part, thus, a record of temptation” (Pualits 578-579). The author of “Young Goodman Brown”, Nathaniel Hawthorne, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1804.
The Use of Symbolism in Young Goodman Brown In the short story, “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne symbolism and imagery are used in many ways, reading the story once is only scratching the surface. Hawthorne sculpts a story by tying intricate details together to create something that will absorb the reader. Through scenery, Biblical references, and even names and colors, Hawthorne has proven himself as a literary genius.
The story of Young Goodman Brown is the story of a tale about the main character becoming aware of the hypocrisy of his faith as a Puritan. Through his travels in the woods at night, he unveils the truths, or what he believes as truths, about his wife Faith, neighbors, and fellow Christians. By the end, Brown loses all trust in his Faith, both literally and spiritually, and refuses to see any good in the world. The beginning scene where Goodman Brown meets the old man has the most significance in the story’s resolution. This is where his mistrust starts to form and where he experiences his first temptations to sin.