Goodman Brown begins doubting whether there really was a heaven above him. Why? What events cause him to begin to doubt?

In the
story, Goodman Brown starts to doubt the reality of Heaven after witnessing discrepancies in the
actions of well-respected church leaders.

At the beginning of the story, we
see that ourapproaches his 'evil purpose' with trepidation. He laments that he has gone as far
as he has on this treacherous errand.

"My father
never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him. We have been a race of
honest men and good Christians, since the days of the martyrs. And shall I be the first of the
name of Brown, that ever took this path and kept--"

However, the Devil shocks Goodman Brown by telling him that he is well acquainted with
his father and grandfather. After all, Goodman Brown's father participated in the Salem
persecution of the Quakers, while his grandfather participated in torching Indian villages
during href="https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/king-philips-war">King
Phillip's War.

The Devil continues to torment Goodman Brown by
stating that various well-respected church...