2010 American Literature 7英文资料.ppt

2010 American Literature 7Nathaniel Hawthorne (2) Young Goodman Brown Young Goodman Brown (1835) The point of the story: All human beings, even the best, have evil in nature. 1. Historical background The “original sin” in the 17th century and the moral vision Calvinists believed that God created the first man, Adam, in his own perfect image, but Adam sinned. Therefore, in Adam’s fall, we sinned all.” As a result, much emphasis was placed on “original depravity,” the concept that man cannot redeem his original sinfulness. When one is born, God has already determined whether he will be saved. God is all, man is nothing. Redemption, therefore, must be a free gift from God. Only God may decide who is to be saved and who is to go hell. No person could earn grace by good works. Man looked toward the future praying for his selection for Heaven. In Calvinism, no body could be sure of sinlessness. Introspection was mandatory. b. Calvinists had to work out their own salvation in fear and trembling, and they were often in considerable doubt about the outcome. 2. Characters Young Goodman Brown Faith The Devil Goody Cloyse, his tutor Deacon Gookin The minister of church 3. The plot A story of the dream experience of Goodman Brown. Brown is newly wed and one night, he leaves his wife “Faith” behind to go on a journey in the forest. In the forest, Brown discovers the Puritan community in its entirety, engaged in a collective confession of their association with evil and sin. The greatest shock-- he finds his “Faith” to be among them at the devil worship. Just as he calls up his “Faith” to refuse the baptism of evil, Goodman Brown wakes up from his dream. Thereafter, whenever he sees his Salem Puritan neighbors, he sees them not as what they claim to be, but as secret and hypocritical sinners. 3. Setting---night in forest, Salem Village An allusion of the mysterious night for the new couple. When Satan appears, he looks like Brown’s father. 5. His