"The real reason for a quest never involves the stated reason. In fact, more often than not, the quester fails at the stated task."
~page 3 of Thomas C. Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor
From our assigned readings for this week, Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" is a perfect example, not because the stated reason and real reason are complete opposites, but because the reason is never specified to begin with. Goodman Brown is supposed to meet with an elderly man--the devil--in the forest for some reason. What he really does in the forest is go on a quest of discovery. It is unclear whether this quest happened in the waking world or in dream land, as even the character is unsure, but it opens his eyes to the deception (imagined or real) all around him. If he discovered anything about himself, as Foster suggests is the real reason for most quests, I guess he discovered that he was too quick to take everything at face value. I think in this case, however, that the discover is not so much about himself but the world around him.
Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?
Comments (2)
In some ways I agree Jennifer.
I think Young Goodman Brown discovered some things about the world around him, but I think he also did do some self-discovery as well.
I think Goodman Brown realized what he was about to do and it frightened him! He almost made a deal with the devil, but then at the last moment he changed his mind. The people he saw along the way helped to shape his decision as Goodman Brown did not want to become like them.
Great Post!
Posted by Katie Lantz | September 2, 2009 2:33 PM
Posted on September 2, 2009 14:33
I didn't relate these until I just read that. People can have quests in their dreams as well as while they are awake and they can still learn just as much and get just as much from it. Granted they will most likely learn more from the quests that they are awake during then their dream quests because they are actually present for it in person but it is still a quest and can have a great deal of impact on them.
Posted by Jamie Grace | September 2, 2009 3:17 PM
Posted on September 2, 2009 15:17