An Analysis of Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage

疯狂&语教师放2012年第3期(8月号)An Analysis of Stephen Crane'sThe Red Badge of Courage李楠(黄淮学院，河南驻马店463000)Abstract: The Red Badge of Courage. the masterpiece of Stephen Crane, was“an episode of theAmerican Civil War". It is written in a naturalistic style which indicates the trend of natu-ralistic writings in the 20th century in America. As a naturalist novel, it takes survival,determinism, violence, and taboo as key themes, and shows indifference of the naturalworld.Key words: Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage, naturalism, indiference of the nature[中图分类号] 106[文献标识码] A[文章编号] 1006-2831(2012)08-0198-3 doi:10.3969/j.issn.1006-2831 .2012.03.054The Red Badge of Courage is a warfascinated with issues of Century Magazinenovel by American author Stephen Cranethat were largely devoted to famous battles and(1871~1900). Taking place during the Americanmilitary leaders from the Civil War (Davis, 1998:Civil War, the story is about a young private of63). Frustrated with the dryly written stories,the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees fromCrane stated, "I wonder that some of thosethe field of battle. Overcome with shame, hefellows don't tell how they felt in those scraps.longs for a wound--a“red badge of courage"-They spout enough of what they did, but they'reto counteract his cowardice. When his regimentas emotionless as rocks." Returning to theseonce again faces the enemy, Henry acts as amagazines during subsequent visits to thestandard-bearer. It is a great work which is bothstudio, he decided to write a war novel. He laterreadable and worthy studying, and it has beenstated that he "had been unconsciously workingcalled "the first modern war novel".the detail of the story out through most of hisboyhood" and had imagined "war stories ever1. Introduction of the Authorsince he was out of knickerbockers" (Davis,Stephen Crane published his first novel-1998: 64).Maggie: A Girl of the Streets in March 1893At the time, Crane was intermittentlyat the age of 21. Maggie was not a success,employed as a free-lance writer, contributingeither financially or critically. Most criticsarticles to various New York City newspapers.thought the unsentimental Bowery tale crudeHe began writing what would become Theor vulgar, and Crane chose to publish the workRed Badge of Courage in June 1893, whileprivately after it was repeatedly rejected foliving with his older brother Edmund in Lakepublication (Stallman, 1968: 70-71). CraneView, New Jersey. Crane conceived the storyfound inspiration for his next novel whilefrom the中国煤化工19 private whospending hours lounging in a friend's studio inis at firsi:YHCN MH Gns of the glorythe early summer of 1893. There, he becameof war, only to become disillusioned by war's收稿日期: 2012-4-12;修改稿: 2012-5-8 5198 Crazy English Teachers研究reality. He took the private's surname,“Fleming",all his literary heroes are depicted with strongfrom his sister-in-law's maiden name. He wouldnaturalistic features. He always explored in hislater relate that the first paragraphs came toworks for unique writing techniques and hishim with“every word in place, every comma,work influenced later writers greatly, so he wasevery period fixed". Working mostly nights, hecalled“the forerunner of American naturalism".wrote from around midnight until four or fiveThe words and expressions in his work are justin the morning. Because he could not afford asimple but vivid. His writings were reflection oftypewriter, he carefully wrote in ink on legal-the environment and social reality of the newsized paper, occasionally crossing through orcontinent during or after the Civil War.overlying a word. If he did change something,2.1 Naturalistic Feature of Characteristicshe would rewrite the whole page. He laterThe characters in naturalistic novelsmoved to New York City, where he completedare more or less similar to each other. Theirthe novel in April 1894.attempts at exercising free will or choice arehamstrung by forces beyond their control.2. Naturalistic Writing Style ofIn this novel, Henry Fleming is just a typicalthe Novelcharacter of this kind. Coming from the country,The Red Badge of Courage, thehis life was governed by the Army. No glorifiedmasterpiece of Crane, was“an episode of thepatriots, brave soldiers and heroes can beAmerican Civil War". It has a distinctive styleeasily found in this naturalistic work, instead,which is often described as naturalistic, realistic,we can see only real human-beings with theirimpressionistic or a mixture of the three (Crane,true feelings and fear. So the young boy- -also1917: 1). in which the naturalistic style is thea soldier fight and flee in the battle fieid withoutmost important one. It is written in a naturalistica clear aim, but only instinct and passion thatstyle which indicates the trend of naturalisticdominated Henry's each actions.writings in the 20th century in America. We can2.2 The Combination of Impressionisticidentify this novel as a typical naturalistic one .and Naturalistic StyleThe term "naturalism” describes a typeIn this novel, Crane uses the techniquesof literature that attempts to apply scientificof Impressionism to express his naturalisticprinciples of objectivity and detachment toattitude. Crane successfully conveys to theits study of human beings. In many ways,reader his pessimistic views of Naturalismnaturalism grew out of the foundations laid bythrough the employment of words of colors, theearlier realist writers, leading some to call itpanoramic rendition and the hero's changingan“emphasized realism". But, unlike realism,impressions of the American Civil War and thewhich focuses on literary technique, naturalismworld in which he lives. The author used thirdimplies a philosophical position: for naturalisticperson narrating the story, but for us readerswriters，since human beings are, in Emileit is quite easy to feel what the hero feels, andZola's phrase, "human beasts", characters canto see what he sees. Stephen Crane is goodbe studied through their relationships to theirat using colors in describing the surroundings.surroundings.For instance, he used the color "red" againNaturalism played an important role in theand again to describing the war, such as "reddevelopment of the American literature, anddragon'中国煤化工and so on. HeStephen Crane was a great master adoptingalso usrs- -sometimesnaturalism in his writings. Crane's worksmore th_MYHCNMH Gwhich is notcontain novels, short stories and poetries, andvery long. Take the last sentence of this novel(下转第204页)Crazy English Teachers199疯狂荚谨敦帽照2012年第3期(8月号)(上接第199页)After his desertion, however, Henry finds somefor example: "Over the river a golden ray of suncomfort in the laws of nature, which seem tocame through the hosts of leaden rain clouds."briefly affirm his previous cowardice.This clearly showed the feelings of Henry, whoThe novel is known as distinctive, for thehas already tired of the war.content includes realistic battle sequences aswell as the repeated use of color imagery, and3. Themes of the Novelironic tone. Separating itself from a traditional3.1 Key Themes of Naturalist Novelswar narrative, Crane's story reflects theCritics identify survival, determinism,inner experience of its protagonist- -a soldierviolence, and taboo as key themes of afleeing from combat- -rather than the externalnaturalist novel. The conflict in naturalisticworld around him. Also notable for its use ofnovels is often "man against nature" or "manwhat Crane called a“psychological portrayalagainst himself" as characters struggle toof fear” (1990), the novel's allegorical andretain a "veneer of civilization" despite externalsymbolic qualities are often debated by critics.pressures that threaten to release the "bruteSeveral of the themes that the story exploreswithin". What's more, Nature tends to be anare maturation, heroism, cowardice, and theindifferent force acting on the lives of humanindifference of nature.beings. It is quite to the opposite of the romantic4. Conclusionvision, such as Wordsworth's words "naturenever did betray the heart that loved her". AsStephen Crane wrote The Red Badge offor this novel, from it, we can see differentCourage in 1894, and it was judged as "anforces working against modern man's struggleepisode of the American Civil War". It is writtento realize his value as an individual. Born intoin a naturalistic style which indicates the trenda time when industrialism prevailing， Henryof naturalistic writings in the 20th century inFleming, the hero is to find himself entangledAmerica. As a naturalist novel, it takes survival,in society, symbolized as the regiment in thedeterminism，violence, and taboo as keynovel. The unfolding of Fleming's story revealsthemes, and shows indifference of the naturalthat his search is doomed to be a failure.world. T3.2 Themes in This NovelThe indifference of the natural world is areoccurring theme in Crane's work (Horsford,1986: 112). At the beginning of the novel, asReferencesthe regiments advance toward battle, the sky isCrane, Stephen. The Red Badge of Courage[M]. New York: Do-described as being an innocuous "fairy blue".ver Pubns, 1917: 1.In chapter seven, Henry notes the inexplicableDavis, Linda H. Badge of Courage: The Life of Stephen Crane[M].New York: Miflin, 1988: 63-64.tranquility of nature,“a woman with a deepHorsford, Howard C. He was a man. New Essays on The Redaversion to tragedy", even as the battle ragesBadge of Courage[C]. Ed. Lee Clark Mitchell. Cambridge:on. Similarly, Heaven itself is indifferent to theCambridge, 1986: 112.Kent, Thomas. Interpretation and Genre: The Role of Genericslaughter he encounters on the battlefield. ThePerception in the Study of Narrative Texts[M]. PA: Bucknelldichotomy between nature's sweetness andUniversity Press, 1986: 130.war's destructiveness is further described inStalman,中国煤化工PMnNew'YorkBraillechapter eighteen:“A cloud of dark smoke asYHCNMHGfrom smoldering ruins went up toward the sunnow bright and gay in the blue, enameled sky".20orRnglish Toachers