Stephen Crane's Connection To Literature

Between generations, people have often wondered what connects us to our old generations or how we will be connected to our future, but it is through writing and accounts that we will be able to see how our past was and how our future may be. Alexander Isayevich stated “Literature transmits incontrovertible condensed experience.. from generation to generation. In this way literature becomes the living memory of a nation.” This statement is valid because literature helps us live vicariously through our experiences and helps us share our experiences. By reading other people’s stories they can share what has happened to them, and in the like manner what happened to us. Literature gives people living in the present day a connection to

Crane was born on November 1st, 1971 to Jonathon and Mary Crane in New Jersey. He was the youngest of fourteen children. From an early age Crane was drawn to writing even though he was not particularly good at it. He began writing at the age of four and by the age of sixteen had published several articles. In 1885, Crane enrolled at Pennington Seminary but later transferred to Claverack College military school. At Claverack College, Crane gained familiarity with the daily routines and way of life of soldiers which came very important to when he wrote The Red Badge of Courage. Crane never had any interest in school and as a result left the university he was studying at, and became a writer and reporter. When Stephen was a young adult he attended a military boarding school and after wrote The Red Badge of Courage and The Third

Stephen Crane’s most popular theme in is writing was American Naturalism which he depicted in all his novels. One aspect of American Naturalism in The Red Badge of Courage is when “survival of the fittest” takes hold of Henry Fleming. In the beginning of the story Fleming is not fit for war and runs away during a time of war and realizes he is not mentally fit. At that point he realizes that only the strongest men can survive to see the next day so to be strong means to survive. Crane does an excellent job in picturing the psychological torment of war. The psychology of the story is really what makes it interesting but Crane did not want to express the torment just during war he also wanted to show the long lasting effects of the soldiers after battle. Keeping with realism, Crane conveys the thoughts of a man in a real situation who wants all the glory of being of war hero, but he is simply unprepared (Luke). By showing this in the novel Crane also shows the humanity of humans and the day to day thoughts that goes through their head as soldiers. The Red Badge of Courage was unique for the realism it portrays of war. For example, The Red Badge of Courage goes through the everyday life of soldiers by telling where they sleep and eat rather than other books just talking about the exciting