Young Goodman Brown | Symbolism, Allegory & Dark Romanticism Short Story Lesson (Grades 9–12)

Bring Nathaniel Hawthorne’s haunting short story to life with this complete, ready-to-teach lesson on symbolism, allegory, and Dark Romanticism. Students will dive deep into Goodman Brown’s eerie forest journey, exploring themes of temptation, faith, and moral disillusionment.

This resource includes everything you need for a meaningful and discussion-rich analysis—plus an optional creative extension that lets students reimagine the story’s symbols in modern or artistic ways.

✨ What’s Inside:

• 🧑‍🏫 Teacher Notes (background, pacing, key themes)
• 🎞️ 21-Slide PowerPoint Presentation
• 📖 Student Guided Reading & Annotation Handout
• 📝 Literary Analysis Writing Assessment + Rubric
• 🎨 Creative Extension Project – “Faith, Forest, and the Fall”

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze Young Goodman Brown as a work of Dark Romanticism
• Identify and interpret major symbols and allegorical meaning
• Evaluate Hawthorne’s critique of Puritan society
• Develop an argument about whether the story reflects a dream, psychological breakdown, or supernatural encounter

Perfect for:
• American Literature units
• Dark Romanticism or Allegory lessons
• High school ELA classrooms (Grades 9–12)
• Sub plans or enrichment projects

Teaching time: 1–2 class periods
File type: PowerPoint + PDF printables

📚 Engage your students in one of American literature’s most thought-provoking tales of faith, temptation, and truth.