How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Ah, your worship knows the recipe," cried the old lady, cackling aloud. "So, as I was saying, being all ready for the meeting, and no horse to ride on, I made up my mind to foot it; for they tell me there is a nice young man to be taken into communion to-night. But now your good worship will lend me your arm, and we shall be there in a twinkling."
The best part about being evil is being able to convince other people to be evil, too. Peer pressure: just say no to devil-worship, Shmoopers.
Quote #5
"That old woman taught me my catechism," said the young man; and there was a world of meaning in this simple comment. (34-37)
Young Goodman Brown is shocked that his former mentor Goody Cloyse is really in the Evil League of Evil. He still has innocence to lose. The traveler with the staff, however, waits for Goodman Brown "calmly, as if nothing had happened." You could even argue that the traveler was teaching Goodman Brown a lesson about the dark side of respectable society.
Quote #6
Young Goodman Brown caught hold of a tree, for support, being ready to sink down on the ground, faint, and overburthened with the heavy sickness of his heart. He looked up to the sky, doubting whether there really was a Heaven above him. Yet, there was the blue arch, and the stars brightening on it.
"With Heaven above, and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!" cried young Goodman Brown. (45-46)
Yeah… not so much. Sure, he doesn't join the evil assembly, but this whole story seems like one big loss of innocence—his loss of faith in other people.