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According to dictionary.com guilt can be defined as remorse or self-reproach caused by feeling that one is responsible for a wrong or offense. Guilt proves to be the common denominator in the three stories “Young Goodman Brown,” “Gary Soto,” and “Something Wicked This Way comes.” In each work, guilt causes the characters to have feelings of shame, inferiority, and paranoia. To be ashamed is to feel distressed or embarrassed by feelings of guilt, foolishness, or disgrace. For example, it can be easily concluded that Goodman Brown is ashamed to be walking in the forest with the devil because he never once fails to attempt to hide when he sees a familiar face. In Gary Soto’s case, the feeling of shame comes to him after he has stolen a pie even though he knows better than to do so. After he has unlawfully taken and eaten of the forbidden fruit-flavored pie, he claims that his eyes begin to water at the thought of the deed he has done. Charles Halloway is the character who is full of shame in the book “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” Throughout the majority of the novel, Halloway is displeased with being his age. He feels that he is incapable of being the father/person that he would like to be. There are several instances in each story where the emotion of inferiority is expressed. Goodman Brown suggests his feeling of inferiority when he talks about how his “good Christian” ancestors would have never set off on the journey that he is now on. In the second story, Gary Soto states, “I remembered the grocer’s forehead.” The statement goes to show that after stealing the pie, Soto felt inferior to the grocer; he could not look him or her in the eyes. As for Halloway, he fells inferior to Jim Nightshade’s father. Jim’s father is the man who saved Halloway’s son from drowning when he himself was not able to. Halloway feels that as a father it was his own responsibility to save his son from the water. Paranoia is also a key emotion when it comes to the three stories. While in the wilderness, Goodman brown is in constant fear of the evil that is possibly lurking behind the trees. After stealing the pie, young Gary Soto is convinced that everyone is aware of the thievery of which he has committed, though in fact no one is. When it comes to Halloway, throughout most of his life as a parent, he is always afraid that some catastrophe will occur and because of his age, he will not be able to do anything to save himself or his loved ones. Although each of these stories differ, guilt is the factor that ties all of them together. According to Isabelle Holland, “Guilt is the price we pay willingly for doing what we are going to do anyway.” However, I am sure that the characters from “Young Goodman Brown,” “Gary Soto,” and “Something Wicked This Way comes” have acquired their own definitions.