Stephane Crane: From Parody To Realism

Stephane Crane wrote the book “Red Badge of Courage,” in the year of 1895, and a lot of critics have reviewed his work. Over the years the critics have been agreeing and disagreeing about this little book that told a story of a young solider in the civil war, and his experiences of the war itself. Some people think that it is one of the greatest works of its time period, but others think that it has some problems along with it. Every critic gives their opinion on what they believe is going on in the story, but not everyone always agree with what they are trying to prove. Joseph Conrad wrote his review, “His war book: A preface to Stephen Crane’s the Red Badge of Courage,” about how good the book is. Conrad goes on in his review praising this
“The Red Badge of Courage requires a less restricted from of reference, for Solomon realizes that Crane was not directing his attention against the Cooke-Cable-George Eggleston celebration of heroism. Instead he found his real subject in the psychology of motivation under stress and anticipated a view of warfare which had become almost universal in our own country.”(web) There is not many books that have been published in the view of a young soldier from the civil war period, and this book gives the reader a glimpse inside of solider mind. “The youth, in his leapings, saw, as through a mist, a picture of four or five men stretched upon the ground or writhing upon their knees with bowed heads as if they had been stricken by bolts from the sky. Tottering among them was the rival color bearer, whom the youth saw had been bitten vitally by the bullets of the last formidable volley. He perceived this man fighting a last struggle, the struggle of one whose legs are grasped by demons. It was a ghastly battle. Over his face was the bleach of death, but set upon it was the dark and hard lines of desperate purpose. With this terrible grin of resolution he hugged his precious flag to him and was stumbling and staggering in his design to go the way that led to safety for it.” (book) Solomon really gives credit to Crane for writing his book in this fashion and credits this book one of Cranes best works. “Solomon has an acute sense for telling word and image, and without straining has revealed the complexity of texture in the best of Crane’s work.” (web) After reading the critics work I believe that Solomon wrote this because he agrees with Cranes prospective on how young boys grew into men in a time of war. They all start out scared and weak, but by the end they are strong and mighty. Solomon