Although one might be surprised that Hawthorne could write such a story about what was considered a taboo subject during his time period, and even have such evidence evidence of personal interaction with a demonic individual, the reader may suggest that the subject of his story is caused by the fact that Hawthorne's grandfather was involved in the Salem witch trials. Hawthorne's grandfather was not the only one in his family involved in the witch trials, however he was also related to 4 of the accused witches. By considering Hawthorne's family history, the reader can clearly see where the author's interest began. James Williamson, author of Young Goodman Brown: Hawthorne's 'Devil in Manuscript, has a strong opinion on Hawthorne's motivations behind the story. He states: “…there is a connection between the writer and the devil and the writer/speaker is actually a member of the devil's party. Brown actually meets three devils: the old man, Goody Cloyse, and the speaker. The speaker is the devil in the manuscript as he has the ability to make Brown and the reader perceive the diabolical qualities of the other characters (127).” While it may go against the author's conventional views, Williamson raises good insights and starts a great discussion regarding the author's mindset, rather than that of Young Goodman.