Young Goodman Brown

“‘Poor little Faith!’ thought he, for his heart smote him. ‘What a wretch am I, to leave her on such an errand! She talks of dreams, too. Methought, as she spoke, there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done to-night. But, no, no! ’twould kill her to think it. Well; she’s a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night, I’ll cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven.’”

This early passage foreshadows the events that unfold once Brown meets the traveler in the woods. The passage reinforces Brown’s view of Faith’s pure and “angelic” characterization and his strong belief in his faith. When Brown says that Faith “talks of dreams,” it foreshadows the likely dream that Brown has in the woods. He wonders for a moment if Faith knows about the evil purpose of his errand, only to later learn that Faith is to be sacrificed at the ceremony.

“‘There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree,’ said Goodman Brown to himself; and he glanced fearfully behind him, as he added, ‘What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!’”

This quotation reinforces the Puritan belief that the Native Americans were faithless and agents of the devil. It also foreshadows the characterization of the elder traveler as the devil.

“You are late, Goodman Brown […]. The clock of the Old South was striking, as I came through Boston; and that is full fifteen minutes agone.”

The traveler acts as if he has been waiting for Brown to arrive, though Brown does not seem to know the man. Most importantly, the quote provides one of the first clues to the traveler’s supernatural essence. As Boston is roughly 25 miles from Salem, the revelation that the elder traveler arrived at Salem Village after only 15 minutes suggests he holds supernatural powers.