In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story Young Goodman Brown, the devil attempts to perform a dark baptism or initiation ritual in the woods with Goodman Brown as the object. This ritual is meant to induct Goodman Brown into the community of sinners and those who have succumbed to evil. The devil tries to convince Goodman Brown to join him and the other townspeople, who are revealed to be part of a secret, unholy gathering.
The ritual involves the use of a basin filled with blood, which symbolizes the binding of Goodman Brown to the devil and his followers. The devil urges Goodman Brown to partake in this ritual, promising him a deeper understanding of the true nature of humanity and the world. However, Goodman Brown resists, crying out to his faith and his wife, Faith, to save him from this evil.
This scene is pivotal as it represents Goodman Brown’s internal struggle between good and evil, and his ultimate realization of the pervasive nature of sin. The ritual serves as a metaphor for the loss of innocence and the confrontation with the darker aspects of human nature.