The Scariest Story

1.    1)   What do you think Hawthorne's purpose was for writing this story?

 That not all people are good people.

2.    2)   Hawthorne states that Brown's wife is "aptly named" Faith.  After reading the story, do you agree?  Does Faith's name fit her personality?  Does Brown have true faith in her?

 At first her name did fir her personality but at the end I changed my mind about that. At first he did but know he doesn't know what to think of her.

3.     3) What do you think the pink ribbons signify?

 I think it means something good like good luck.

4.      4) Was everything Brown witnessed real, a figment of his imagination, something conjured by evil, or a dream?  Support your answer with passages from the text.

 I think it was something conjured by the evil because he wanted to go explore but something didn't seem right to him. Then he sees a person in the middle of the woods and hears Faith screaming. Also he transported to the ceremony and he saw people rom the church there. Then all of a sudden he's back in the forest alone.  

5.    5)   Who do you think the old man really is?  What textual clues tell you this?

 I think that the old man really is god. "I meet the eye of that good old man, our minister, at Salem village?"

6.   6)    What does the staff represent?  Do you think the staff leads Brown onward or is the primary motivator Brown's own conscience/mind?

 The staff represents the helper of the evil. Its Browns own conscience that leads him to keep moving forward.

7.   7)    If Brown had not ventured into the forest, how would his life be different?  If he'd stayed home, would Brown still have Faith?  Would he still trust his wife and his fellow townspeople?                       

If       If he didn't go on to venture the forest he would probably still trust the people in the village and his wife. 

If