Young Goodman Brown

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

"Dearest heart," whispers Faith into her husband's ear, "prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed tonight." But her plea goes unheeded as Goodman Brown sets off on a midnight journey through the forest. With every sep the path becomes more menacing. Walking sticks slither like serpents. Leaves wither and die at a touch. Wild beasts howl and groan. Even more ominous is the sight of the pious church folk of the community, passing by him one by one as they hurry toward their evil destination. "Not another step will I budge on this errand," Goodman Brown declares. But he is unable to turn back...and when he finally leaves the forest, his life has been changed forever. Set in Puritan New England, Nathaniel Hawthorne's YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN is a haunting allegorical tale of religious faith and hypocrisy, deception and disillusionment. --front flap

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?