Stephen Crane's Literary Analysis

Stephen Crane was born November 1, 1871, and died at only 29, on June 5, 1900. Crane was born into a relatively poor family, being the youngest of fourteen siblings. He spent the early part of his life in Syracuse, New York, but later moved to New York City to start his career as a journalist. Nina Baym, an american literature scholar, states that “Crane... clearly demonstrated his religious, social, and literary rebeliousness [through his writing].“ Crane's father was a minister; however, he himself was not a believer. He rebelled socially and literarily be writing about realistic aspects of life. Crane's first novel published was Maggie, a girl of the streets, about a young girl, Maggie, who is born into an abusive family, and when she finds

Mordecai Marcus, an american literature author, states that “Crane's use of animal imagery lends considerable support to the novel as themes and view point.“ These images are often used to describe Henry's feelings as he passes through stages of apprehension, terror, fear, and acceptance. Animal imagery is first used to show Henry's feelings of the enemy. He sees the enemy campfire as “Red eyes...of a row of dragons“ (Red Badge). The fear that the imagery portrays constrasts greatly from when Henry first joined the army to when Henry is in batttle. Before he encounters his first experience in battle he was full of “eagle eyed prowress“ while during battle he was running around like the “proverbial chicken“ (Marcus). Domestic and wild animals are used throughout the story, which one is used changes with how Henry is feeling about the situation. If Henry is confident, he and his comrades become “wild cats;“ however, when he is fearful, they have acted like a “craven loon.“ Henry, along with all of the other men in the war, are just pawns in something that is much bigger than they are. Crane seems to be victimizing the men that are fighting, and making war out to be the