A Girl of the Streets and the Open Boat - Essay Example

As it is well known in literary circles, not everything that the writer intends to tell is told directly. Some messages are indirectly conveyed. Such is the case with these two stories – Stephen Crane’s “Maggie: A Girl of the Streets” and “The Open Boat.” Before one starts to make any point about these two stories, it must be emphasized that there is really no story in which nature is not inherent. No matter where the physical setting of any story is, it would also be within the confines of nature. Hence, one must mention that one of the most significant scenes in “Maggie: A Girl of the Streets” is set by the edge of a river. This is where the “huge fat man” Maggie eventually takes her. The scene is important because it is where Maggie is believed to have lost her life (Crane 36).

Similarly, the setting of “The Open Boat” is a ship on the seas. Like in “Maggie: A Girl of the Streets”, the setting again has something to do with water (nature) (Crane 189). The only difference is that this time, water is not only a symbol; it may also be interpreted to directly affect the lives of the human race. One gets to learn that in life, we all undergo certain issues from time to time, and we, not others, are the best to help ourselves out. Nature would remain fair to all.

Whenever one discovers the level to which some persons lack the milk of human kindness, one is often amazed. This most time makes one just re-examine one’s life and the ethos which one has imbued over time. For instance in “Maggie: A Girl of the Streets”, one cannot but wonder why it seems that characters like Jimmie and Blue Billie just seem to be so bellicose that they desire to be in a brawl at the slightest provocation (Crane 13). At such times when the bellicosity of these characters is at its peak, one also wonders if they ever had elderly ones to direct them. It is very obvious that Jimmie had someone who is in the place to put him through the best way to behave in society. But from the look of things, it is either that they were never taught or that he rejected what they were taught. From what one discovers in the story, what may turn out to be the third possibility is very unlikely. This third possibility is that the parents themselves do not possess strong moral standings to be able to teach their children the ethos which they need to know.

The same thing applies to “The Open Boat.” Everyone is supposed to have been brought up in such a way that would be able to discern when a person is seriously in need of their help or not. In the case of the people whom the shipwrecked men appeal to come for their help, they were simply unable to discern when people seriously need their help and when they don’t. Besides the fact that one, as a reader, is taught indirectly to learn from the bad examples of some characters, one is to learn not to tow their way. While readers learn from the flaws of some of these characters, some emotions are evoked in them. In the long run, these are the emotions that would come to play in stopping from taking the wrong decisions in life.

One other feature which one learns from the two stories is that, no matter how much one tries to cover up the truth, it would eventually come out. One also discovers that one’s true characters only come to the fore when facing some trying times. For example, in “The Open Boat”, the truth about characters that are unable to distinguish people who need help from those that do not need is proven when they are put under situations in which they are supposed to help. Of course, it is possible that some of them may have vowed to themselves that if they were faced with such circumstances, they would make the best decision possible.

From all that has been mentioned, one thing is sure: Nature is central to the two stories. Another feature that is central to the two is that both stories are that they both have the capability to create some powerful emotions in the readers. Also, one must not fail to state that both stories have ethical dimensions to them. Both stories may rightly be described as didactic. No matter how one is and what the intentions one has for reading the stories, it is certain that one would learn at least one thing from the two stories. Above all, one gets to learn that whatsoever one becomes in life is determined by some actions and inactions that can be traced to one’s own doorstep. This is because nature is equal to all and partial to none.