Research Paper on:
Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" And O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" - Evil

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
two classic stories: OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find and Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown. The paradox that exists within the literary boundaries of each tale illustrates no  matter how hard one might toil to evade the influence of such a tremendously manipulative power, sometimes it is a futile attempt. Young  Goodman Brown reflects a duality of struggling against the odds to survive as well as associating oneself with ones own kind. Brown is seriously handicapped by the unrealistic expectations  he places upon the moral fiber of his family, friends and educators; it is by way of his constant examination of the enigmas of evil and moral responsibility that readers  are able to capture the true essence of the journey into the woods. Particularly evident is the concentration Hawthorne gave to identifying how every human heart harbors evil, a  common thread that depicts the ways in which evil is ever-present within human consciousness. Hawthornes tale is a clear warning for people to  be wary of things that appear too easily acquired. Indeed, there is a price to pay for each of lifes commodities, although some do not stop to consider the  consequences of their actions. Brown is especially aware of this fact as he becomes "a stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man..." (Hawthorne),  illustrating how dangerous it can be to give oneself over to temptation. This realization instructs the reader to look deep within the recesses of his soul to determine if  the easier path is truly the best one to follow or merely a shortcut to a less desirable eternity. On the surface, OConnors