Hawthorne and Symbolism Symbolism is a key in all or most writings. Symbolism is what the reader needs in order to use his imagination. In "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, through different symbolism, Hawthorne writes about a man who in his coming of age. This man is Goodman Brown and he learns that there is a darkness in everyone and upon this coming of knowledge, his life is change forever. First of all, Hawthorne describes Goodman Brown as a good Puritan who is devoted to his wife Faith, whose name he uses like a shield for his soul. At the beginning of his walk through the woods, Brown runs into the Devil who tries to convert him; this is shown by th