The Red Badge Of Courage Naturalistic Essay — страница 3

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together" (76). This lack of control is infuriating to Henry, who complains, "?We just get fired around from pillar to post and get licked here and get licked there, and nobody knows what it?s done for. It makes a man feel like a damn kitten in a bag?" (155). Later on, when fired upon, the soldiers "accept the pelting of the bullets" ? to resist would be "to strive against walls?to batter themselves against granite" (184). Crane reiterates many times that Henry and his companions have no power over their situation. All is determined for them; resistance is futile. In summary, The Red Badge of Courage is a naturalistic work with realistic tendencies. The convincing, believable characters, the authentic-sounding dialect, the complexity of Henry?s

thoughts, the occasional impartiality of nature, and the optimistic ending are representative of realism. However, nature is far more often shown as evil or hostile. Scientific theory is applied to Henry and to the events that befall him. And neither Henry nor anyone else has any control over his fate. All these are traits of naturalism. The naturalistic elements are predominant throughout most of the book, and although the ending is curiously positive for a naturalistic work, it showcases Crane?s unique perspective as an author. The struggle between negative and positive, optimism and pessimism, and realism and naturalism parallels the battle between blue and gray described in the plot as well as humanity?s dual faces of good and evil. Rejecting pure naturalism as overly

simplistic, Crane implies that although humans are subject to the savage forces of nature, there is still hope to eventually arrive at a better life. Adding a touch of realism to temper the morbidity of his naturalism, Stephen Crane will be remembered far into the future as the author of one of the most influential novels in American literature.