"Young Goodman Brown"

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Young Goodman Brown," it is very clear why some critics would choose to argue that the title character succumbs to evil itself. The best example of the impending evil in the story is the nameless figure in the forest that accompanies Goodman on his journey. The traveler's appears in the deepest and "gloomiest" part of the forest. Furthermore, he carries with him a staff that resembles a serpent, a staff that is also similar to the staff that Moses through before the Pharaoh's feet in the Bible. In addition, Young Goodman Brown seems weak-willed and timidly obeys and listens to whatever his traveling companion tells him.

The fact that Hawthorne names Young Goodman Brown's wife "Faith" is no coincidence either. In the beginning of the story, the title character appears to be distraught because he is leaving his newly-wed wife to leave her on "such an errand." Young Goodman Brown also compromises his "faith" after he becomes bewildered and falls into a desperate situation. "'My Faith is gone!' cried he, after one stupefied moment. 'There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil! for to thee is this world given'" (238). Thus, the title character's wife is a symbol of his lost faith and his giving into evil.

The setting for "Young Goodman Brown" plays a major role in the theme of giving into evil. The story takes place in Colonial New England where the society was very religiously-oriented. Even more telling of the nature of the story is the fact that the story takes place in Salem, MA. In those times, compromising one's faith and giving into the temptations of evil meant not only being outcast from social circles, but those actions could also lead to one's death. Witch trials and crusades to "weed out" persons who took pleasure in practicing evil deeds became common occurrences in that society. Therefore, Young Goodman Brown fear of succumbing to evil is better understood because he could possibly lose his life for not complying with the religious standards of the time.

Thus, it is clear why many critics argue that Young Goodman Brown becomes misled by evil in the short story.

Hudgens

In a comparison to both Yeats and Brookes, Hudgins in many ways mocks both of the poems in “The Wild Swans Skip to School.” He uses Brooks’ style of writing of short and very revealing sentences that end with the demise of whoever is being discussed. The poem also incorporates the element of swans that are so important in Yeats’ “The Wild Swans at the Coole.” Hudgins even goes so far as to mention Yeats in the third line of his poem as an apparent show of disrespect. Although the poem Is a parody of both Yeats and Brooks’ poems, the poem does not by itself. In order to truly understand the text, the reader has to be familiar with both “We Real Cool” and “The Wild Swans at the Coole.”

"The Red Wheelbarrow"

The poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams is a very strong example of the use of imagery. The poem is only eight lines and sixteen words long and does follow conventional writing traditions by using grammar and punctuation. However, Williams uses specific words and phrases such as “glazed with rain” and “white chickens” to illuminate the poem. The author displays to the reader a portrait of the red wheelbarrow and the rest of the scenery in so few words. The poem seems to indulge in the simplicity of things.

"Harlem"

Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem” is a great example of how well imagery can convey a message in a poem. The poem starts by asking the question “What happens to a dream deferred?” The response to the question is a medley possible outcome to the broken dream. Hughes uses words and phrases such as “dry up,” “rotten meat,” and “sags” to describe what happens to someone that gives up their dreams or must put the dream aside for more important things. What Hughes is saying about what happens when people give up on their dreams is that much hope that is associated with the dream is replaced with bitterness and resentment. In addition, the void left by the dream may be filled with other emotions such as defeat and disregard. The latter emotion is especially evident when he writes “Or crust and sugar over – like a syrupy sweet?” Hughes is telling the reader that once dreams are given up or deferred, the void that is left by the broken dream will only be filled with negative feelings.

An even greater message that Hughes may be telling in his poem is about the dreams that many transplanted African-Americans have about their new lives in Harlem. They come to New York from small Southern towns in search of a new life and better opportunities for their families. The Black people come from all over with dreams of being successful in the city. However, many of their dreams are “deferred” because they must work in menial jobs and live in the slums. Their dreams fade away because Harlem was not what they expected it to be.

Thus, Langston Hughes does a very nice job of conveying his message through the use of imagery in his poem, “Harlem.”

"Ode to a Nightingale"

Upon reading “Ode to a Nightingale,” I was amazed at how much depth that John Keats chose to give the poem. The poem is composed in a Shakespearian quatrain and some stanzas are packed with references to Greek and Roman mythology. For instance, in line sixteen Keats makes reference to Hippoocrene, the old Grecian fountain where many famous poets were said to have acquired inspiration for their works. Keats likely included a reference to Hippocrene to demonstrate just how disconnected and out of touch he is with life in general.
“Ode to a Nightingale” also does a fine job of expressing the overwhelming sense of fear that the writer has about his own death. Keats uses imagery for drunkenness and weariness to show that life is slowly and painfully slipping away from him. The speaker in the poem even goes so far as to say that he has courted death and has found a comfort in death’s looming presence. “…and, for many a time I have been half in love with easeful Death, Called him soft names in many a mused rhyme, to take into the air my quiet breath” (Lines 51-53).
The nightingale in the poem symbolizes the speaker’s only true connection to the real world and even life itself. The “immortal” bird is attempting to rescue the speaker of the poem with its majestic song. Keat’s also references that the bird’s song may have led the Old Testament figure of Ruth back to her home country after the death of her husband. However, the speaker becomes “forlorn” at his situation and ends the poem with the question of “Do I wake or sleep?”

"Time of Passage"

In the short story “Time of Passage,” James Falkman chooses to have the element of structure play a very important part of the story. He aptly names to the story “Time of Passage” instead of the often used phrase passage of time to display just how the structure of the story unfolds to the reader. After James Falkman’s wife passes away, his life and all of his material possessions begin to dissipate. He also seems to revert back almost into a child-like position towards the end of the story when loses his house and his previously lavish life and goes to live with his ailing parents. Falkman seems to be so bothered by his age and his coming death that all he can is prepare himself.
What the story does well is demonstrate the futility of James Falkman’s life. The story starts out with the scene of tombstones, symbolizing the imminent end of all men. The author also shows just how much of an impact the death of his wife had on Falkman by writing that he prefers not to social right after she is buried. Each paragraph almost represents the dissent that Falkman takes toward his eventual demise. Even when he recovers from his depression and starts making drastic adjustment in his job and social life, that all fades as he gets older. Thus, the “Time of Passage” shows just how a prominent man can fall from grace and how everything that is worked so hard for is lost over time.