Using details from Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown," demonstrate the universal truth of honor.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, "Young Goodman
Brown," there are a number of themes to consider.

One
central theme is "honor." Young Goodman Brown's sense of honor is what influences his
behavior—"honor" is something he has already chosen by which to live his life...it is
the central part of his belief system.

Dictionary.com
defines honor as:

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honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs
and actions

The integrity of
Goodman Brown's beliefs and actions is at the heart of the story. As he walks through
the woods with the Devil, he witnesses respected members of his community who have
formed an alliance with the "dark one." This includes his ancestors, Goody Cloyse,
Deacon Gookin, and finally Faith, Brown's wife. Even as he is confronted by examples of
all those he admires being drawn away from the path of goodness, he refuses to be moved
himself. It is, however, sad to see how removed he is from then on,
from the company of friends and even his wife because of his beliefs; he is very much
alone in the world because he stands firmly by what he
believes.

The story demonstrates that honor is a personal
choice every person must make. It speaks to the temptations that are present at every
turn, and the decision a person must make to stick to his or her beliefs regardless of
what those around him chose to do. If everyone cheats on a test, or
on taxes, some will say it's all right. Others believe that cheating is not wrong, but
getting caught is.

Goodman Brown
exemplifies the sense that honor is an absolute: there are no degrees of honor. One has
it and sticks to it, or does not. For Goodman Brown, his dedication to his principals
does not waver, but it makes his life a difficult one when there seems to be no one else
around him dedicated in a similar way.

The universality of
the concept of honor is that it knows no boundaries, but applies to people of every
race, religion and ethnic background. A sense of not just knowing
what the honorable thing to do is, but putting it into practice regardless of
the personal consequences, makes "Young Goodman Brown" a timeless, relevant
piece of literature even today.