The Monster By Stephen Crane - 967 Words

The short story, â€Å"The Monster,† written by Stephen Crane has several complex themes, as well as complex characters. This short story seems straightforward on the surface, but it actually has many underlying meanings. The variety of themes range from biblical references to the historical context surrounding the treatment of African Americans in the United States. The range of the roles of the characters is wide as well, from the shy school boy Jimmie, to the conniving Alex Williams. In this story, Crane portrays an image that is typical of the relationships between African Americans and Caucasians during the late 19th and early 20th century. The characters seemed true to the roles that were usual for certain races during this time period. African Americans were typically hired as the help, and often were the spectacles of the town, and Caucasians were typically the leaders, doctors, and judges of the town. In this paper, we are going to look closely at the characters of th is complex story, and also how race played a huge role in this story. Many factors played a role in the story, but the effects of race was the most evident. I am going to analyze the characters of the story, and determine if race played a role in the outcome of each character. The first character that I am going to analyze is Henry Johnson. Henry Johnson was very simple man, and although the short story was seemed to be about him as the â€Å"monster,† the reader never really gets to know his character all thatShow MoreRelatedHuman Nature In The Monster By Stephen Crane1067 Words   |  5 PagesCentered on the deformation of Henry Johnson, an African-American stable boy who runs into a house fire to save the son of his employer, The Monster by Stephen Crane explores human nature, the dangers of groupthink, and the under-emphasized importance of empathy within society. Crane is a very deliberate author who utilizes every word in his project to help convey his message. His creativity for assisting his readers in their understanding of the work goes beyond the plot points, extending into theRead MoreThe Naturalist Movement: The Monster, and The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane3096 Words   |  13 Pages â€Å"A man said to the universe: ‘Sir, I exist!’ ‘However’ replied the universe, ‘the fact has not created in me a sense of obligation’†~ Stephen Crane. Crane was the champion of the American naturalist movement. Following the Civil War, American authors had to adjust and react to the astounding amount of death that occurred. Authors began to write more realistic stories and started the Realism movement. The Realist authors who took the foundations a step farther created the Naturalists. NaturalistsRead MoreEssay on From Fear to Courage1195 Words   |  5 Pagesthe real thing. Seeing everything up close and personal can change a person dramatically. Soldiers may never be the same after traumatic events such as these. Wars test a person and shows how strong not just physically, but mentally, one is. Stephen Crane, throughout his novel, The Red Badge of Courage, creates three distinct tones by utilizing the stylistic devices of imager y and figurative language, which reinforce Crane’s fearful, unworthy and courageous attitude on the realities of war. InRead More Stephen Cranes The Monster as the Most Important work of short fiction written before 19001425 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"At once a children’s tale, a grim social satire, an ambitious study of ethical responsibility, a painful examination of race in America, a devastating account of the village virus†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The Monster† by Stephen Crane, has been interpreted as the most significant work of short fiction written before 1900. It is a compilation of different issues used to highlight the racist attitudes and xenophobia evident in the USA after slavery was abolished in 1863. Despite the fictional plot, the views ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Stephen Crane s A Man Adrift On A Slim Spar 888 Words   |  4 Pagespossibility, and in romantic literature things usually ended well for the hero, while in naturalistic literature the hero, or the main character, did not always prevail. Stephen Crane is considered to be one of the leading writers of Naturalism and has many naturalistic viewpoints evident in his poetry. As a naturalist, Stephen Crane ridiculed the romantic and questioned the existence of a God. He viewed humanity as an ordinary, insignificant product of nature. Throughout various poems the idea of aRead MoreAdolescence in Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane Essay examples914 Words   |  4 PagesAdolescence in Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane Adolescence brings about many changes as a youth becomes an adult. For many people this passage is either tedious and painful or simple and barely noticeable. The anguish and torture that is usually associated with rites of passage and growing up is visible is Stephen Cranes Red Badge of Courage. Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, the novel reveals how the atrocities of war precipitate emotional growth and maturity,Read MoreEssay Red Badge of Courage756 Words   |  4 PagesThis is ironic because they all act like the news are completely correct and exact, but it isn’t. Irony is used in this book to describe Henry’s journey from a raw recruit to a seasoned soldier. Crane uses dramatic, situational, and verbal irony in this novel, from the beginning to the end of this book. Crane uses several motifs in this story to illustrate his symbolism as well. Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the piece’s major themesRead More Essay on Fantasies and Realities in Red Badge Of Courage2491 Words   |  10 PagesBadge Of Courage      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane the main character, Henry Fleming, thought he understood the war between the North and the South.   However, his understanding came â€Å"from his knowledge of fairy tales and mythology†(Gibson 21).   Henry thought that he was like the heroes that he read about in these stories.   He soon learned that real war was very different from his imaginative expectations.   Crane took Henry’s fantasies and contrasted them with the realitiesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Red Badge Of Courage2049 Words   |  9 PagesStephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage (1895)    Explore the ways in which Stephen Crane presents armies, as bodies of men stationary, moving and fighting. Judging by his description of armies, do you think this is an anti-war novel?    Throughout The Red Badge of Courage, the Unionist and Confederate armies are repeatedly referred to as single bodies of men during the three phases of rest and engagement (stationary, moving and fighting) signified in the title. For example, in the opening paragraphRead MoreHorror Movies: Gateway to Our Dark Side1186 Words   |  5 PagesI stood upon a high place And saw, below, many devils Running, leaping, And carousing in sin. One looked up, grinning, And said: Comrade! Brother! - I Stood Upon a High Place by Stephen Crane From the day we are born we begin our training to become a part of the society. Day after day we learn through a process of reward and punishment the dos and donts that make up the civilized world. A child that kisses his sibling is praised and stimulated with hugs and smiles, while one that punches