Through the covenant Goodman has made with the Devil, he has agreed to leave his wife, Faith, and walk through the forest with the Devil for one night as the Devil attempts to convert Goodman from Christianity. Goodman enters into this with great resolve that his survival and test of faith will not change, but the depth of his faith is fairly easily uprooted. As Goodman and the Devil are walking, Goodman comes upon his old catechism teacher, Goody Cloyse, who is headed to the Devil’s meeting that Goodman is being led to. Goodman is stunned at the sight of her, as he had considered her his moral and spiritual guide. This is the beginning of where Goodman’s faith fails. As Goodman continues on, he sees many of the townspeople he had respected and admired so much for their devout faith in God. Goodman’s faith begins to crumble because his Achilles heel was the pride he had in believing he was a pious man. His faith was never based on an internal relationship with God; instead, his faith was mirrored and reflected by the community he revered. As those around him showed their true following, Goodman lost all faith, and became empty.
Young Goodman Brown went to the forest to search for his inner self or the soul. The devil accompanies him. He is too arrogant to believe that his faith will be able to support him in times of temptations. But his faith is based on the people surrounding him. One by one he sees their secret faults and their secret alliance with the devil. Slowly his faith deserts him. As his will little by little go away, in a sense he is overcome by the devil. This, despite his pride and faith in his capability to withstand temptations.
Brown comes to the ceremony and sees the devil worshippers. He sees a number of people whom he thought to be pious and God-fearing in the congregation. He recognizes them. He does not see Faith though and it brings some hope in his heart.
This part is a turning point for Goodman Brown because he hopes not to live alone in the community of unbelievers. With Faith by his side, he could surmount this obstacle. Although what Goodman Brown fails to realize is that he is already a part of this community he doesn’t like. If Faith was not there, then he need not be alone in his faith. Hope can be looked at as a part of what is known as the "the Christian triptych". The Christian triptych is made up of faith, hope and love. The third part of the triptych which is absent in the entire story is love. If Brown only had "love" in his heart, then he would have found a way to tackle his problem. Love is the medicine that would have enable him to survive without deep sadness due to what he knows when he returned to Salem.
The ceremony started and the converts are brought forward. Goodman Brown steps forward with them. Goodman Brown seems to have no will of his own as he joins the service of converts. The leader said that the members of the congregation are believed to be righteous, honest and incorruptible. Yet they commit secret evil deeds. Goodman Brown finds himself facing Faith. Then the leader said that evil is man’s natural state. He welcomes the convert. Then dips his hand in the rock and draw liquid and put it on the convert’s forehead to baptize them. Brown is able to come back to his senses just in time and shouts "Faith! Faith! Look up to Heaven and resist the wicked one!" The ceremony ends and sees that he is alone. So he presumes that his wife joined the community of non-believers. This means he is the only one left in his faith.
He did not actually convert to a non-believer as others had done. But still, he chooses an equally dangerous path. By losing his faith in everything even in his loved ones, Goodman merely exists and not lives. He believes that faith has failed him and he turns his anger to the world. He sees everything as evil and not worthy of his trust even his new bride (BigNerds, Screen 7).
What happened in his journey changed his outlook for the worst. It made him bitter. Goodman would rather be alone than lifting to God his burdens. Also, he chose to judge people instead of love them faults and all. The Bible tells us that it isn’t enough to have faith to be able to live life. Hope and love are necessary ingredient in a fulfilled, happy life. Goodman Brown lives on faith alone. And his lack of faith quashed what little hope he has. His biggest loss is his inability to love. Because he distances himself from others and judge them, he fails to see them as individuals worthy of his love. Love the sinner, hate their sins. That is the core of Christian religion. And because Goodman Brown fails to grasp the importance of love above all, he fails to live meaningfully. He ends up a failure. He dies lonely and alone. Goodman Brown was buried with "no hopeful verse upon his tombstone; for his dying hour was gloom." (Netfirms, Screen2)
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