《好小伙布朗》(YoungGoodmanBrown)里,作者霍桑写了早年的新英格兰,故事主人公去出席在半夜举行的魔鬼聚会,发现在座的不仅有镇上所有德高望重的人,甚至还有他的妻子费思...书的主题包括人性的好与坏.正如霍桑的大部分小说一样,《好小伙布朗》这部小说自始至终充满了晦暗、神秘的意象.本文对这种神秘、晦暗的意象进行了双重解读：一方面,这体现了霍桑深受清教思想和超验主义哲学影响的矛盾思想；另一方面,这也反映了霍桑的创作倾向与写作特色.英文故事简介：Thestorybeginslateoneeveningin17thcenturySalem,Massachusetts,withyoungGoodmanBrownleavinghishomeandFaith,hiswifeofthreemonths,tomeetwithamysteriousfiguredeepintheforest.Astheymeetandproceedfurtherintothedarkforest,anditisbroadlyhintedthatGoodmanBrown'stravelingcompanionis,infact,theDevil,andthatthepurposeoftheirjourneyistojoininanunspecifiedbutobviouslyunholyritual.GoodmanBrowniswaveringandexpressesreluctance,yettheycontinueon.AstheyjourneyBrowndiscoversothersalsoproceedingtothemeeting,manyofthemhistownsfolkwhomhehadconsideredgoodChristiansincludinghisministeranddeaconandthewomanwhotaughthimhiscatechism.Heisastonishedanddisheartenedanddetermines,onceagain,toturnback.Butnowhehearshiswife'svoiceandrealizesthatsheisoneofthosetobeinitiatedatthemeeting.RecognizingthathehaslosthisFaith(inbothsenses),henowresolvestocarryouthisoriginalintentionandenthusiasticallyjoinstheprocession.Attheceremony,carriedoutataflame-lit,cruderockyaltarinaclearingdeepintheforest,thenewconvertsarecalledtocomeforth.HeandFaithapproachthealtarand,astheyareabouttobeanointedinbloodtosealtheiralliancewithwickedness,hecriesouttoFaithtolooktoheavenandresist.Inthenextinstanthefindshimselfstandingaloneintheforest,nexttothecold,wetrock.Thenarratorsuggeststhattheexperiencemighthavebeenadream,butGoodmanBrownisdeeplyshaken.Helivesouthisdaysanembitteredandsuspiciouscynic,waryofeveryonearoundhim,especiallyhiswifeFaith.Thestoryconcludeswiththisdismalstatement:"Andwhenhehadlivedlong,andwasbornetohisgrave...theycarvednohopefulverseuponhistombstone,forhisdyinghourwasgloom."