What do “the Pink Ribbons,” “the Staff,” and “the Forest” signify?

Answer

What do “the Pink Ribbons,” “the Staff,” and “the Forest” signify? [NU: 2017, 18, 19] ★★★

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s (1804-1864) “Young Goodman Brown” (1835) is full of symbols. Each symbol has a deep meaning. They are not just simple objects. They stand for faith, temptation, and sin. Three important symbols are the pink ribbons, the staff, and the forest. 

The Pink Ribbons- Symbol of Faith and Innocence: Faith, Goodman Brown’s wife, wears pink ribbons. Pink is a soft, pure color. It means innocence and love. Later, one ribbon falls from the sky. Brown cries, 

“My Faith is gone!” 

This has a double meaning. He feels he has lost his wife, Faith. He also feels he has lost his spiritual faith. Thus, the pink ribbons symbolize innocence, purity, and lost belief.

The Staff- Symbol of Devil and Temptation: In the forest, the traveler carries a strange staff. Hawthorne describes the staff in such a way,

“Bore the likeness of a great black snake.”

This staff is a symbol of the Devil. It recalls the serpent in the Garden of Eden. It stands for temptation, deceit, and evil power. When Brown touches it, he feels weak. The staff shows how sin enters human life and pulls man toward evil.

The Forest- Symbol of Darkness and Sin: The dark forest is the setting of temptation. Hawthorne writes, 

“Dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest.”

The dark forest is not just nature. It is a symbol of fear, temptation, and evil. The path is narrow and hidden. Shadows move and strange voices call. The forest becomes the mirror of Brown’s own soul. It shows his doubts, his secret desires, and his hidden weakness. For Hawthorne, the forest is the human heart filled with darkness.

The pink ribbons, the staff, and the forest are three strong symbols. They show innocence, temptation, and sin. Through these, Hawthorne proves that human life is a struggle between