The moral of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story Young Goodman Brown revolves around the theme of the inherent sinfulness and hypocrisy of humanity. The story illustrates how Goodman Brown’s journey into the forest leads him to discover the dark side of human nature, including his own. By the end of the story, Goodman Brown becomes disillusioned with the people around him, including his wife Faith, as he realizes that everyone, including those he once considered pure and righteous, is capable of sin.
Hawthorne uses this story to suggest that the perception of evil and sin is a part of human nature, and that recognizing this can lead to a loss of innocence and trust. The moral, therefore, is that the knowledge of sin and hypocrisy can profoundly affect one’s view of the world and the people in it, often leading to isolation and despair.