Stephen Crane, a Naturalistic Writer

A detailed Summary of Stephen Crane, a Naturalistic Writer

Stephen Crane, a Naturalistic Writer

As time goes on, people are constantly changing. Their views and opinions of things change due to their environment. During these different eras, different styles of writing are formed. Romanticism, Impressionism, Naturalism, Realism, and Idealism are only a few of the many approaches to literature and occurred at different time periods. Stephen Crane is often referred to as both a Naturalistic and Realistic writer. He wrote Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, The Red Badge of Courage, "The Open Boat," "The Blue Hotel," and other short stories and poems. In "The Open Boat," Stephen Crane's use of characters, symbolism, theme, and language indicate Naturalistic writing. Naturalistic literature depicts man as a victim of circumstance. Within Crane's works, the protagonist is shown as a victim of nature, and can be seen in "The Open Boat" when Billie, the oiler and only person whose name is given in the short story, dies while trying to swim to shore.

At the turn of the nineteenth century, Naturalism was in its early stages. Although Naturalistic writings were already produced, they were often ignored. People did not like the subject matter. (Pizer 8) Themes common to the Naturalistic writer are sur

Pizer stated that Naturalism was only an extension of Realism-cynicism was entwined into the former (11). He believed that it often had two contradictions to show the theme and form of the novel. Poor characters, that were uneducated and unsophisticated had heroic adventures and died in the end, were often the protagonists. The environment, heredity, instinct, and chance controlled the characters' behavior and beliefs (12-13).

When the men thought they were going to get help from the life-saving station, the correspondent reached for his eight cigars. Four were soaked, four were good. The men's chance of living is symbolized in this. There is a fifty-fifty chance of each of them surviving. However, only three dry matches are found. This foreshadowed the amount of men that would be alive in the end.

According to Vanouse, Crane writes about big confrontations by regular people. The four men in "The Open Boat" are average sailors, but face a severe obstacle. The characters are often perceptive and understanding. When the correspondent grew tired of rowing, Billie would talk over with no complaints, and vice versa. Even the cook rowed for a while. The "individuals...struggle for communication while being buffeted by tumultuous forces." In "The Open Boat," the tumultuous force is the crashing sea and formidable weather. Large waves hit the men, and wind and lightning often scare them.

Crane, Pizer believed, showed "the difference between moral appearance and reality in society," in his writings (131). The ironic techniques of Naturalism can be seen in Crane's stories, especially "The Open Boat." Out of the four men, only the oiler's name is given, and he is the only one to die. One would think that because he was an important character, he should not have been the lone person to perish. The environment played a vital role in Crane's work. In many cases, the environment shaped the characters lives' (130). In "The Open Boat," the characters would be nothing if they were in a different setting. What good is there in a boat crew if they are not on water?

"She seemed just a wee thing, wallowing, miraculously, top-up at the mercy of five oceans," (Crane). Crane shows man at suffering from nature's wrath, nature's indifference. The wind is a symbol of the men and their hopes. When the cook told the captain that the life-saving st

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Approximate Word count = 1580
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English