Use of Images and Theme in Cranes Short Story: The Blue Hotel - Term Paper Example

Use of Images and Theme in Crane’s Short Story: The Blue Hotel Stephen Crane’s story The Blue Hotel” appeared in 1899 anthology d The Monster andOther Stories. This story of Crane is very rich in terms of themes and images. It is a story in which the hotel owner, Scully, persuades three people to stay in his hotel in Nebraska. These are: a Swede, a cowboy, and an Easterner. The leading character of the story, the Swede, is murdered at the end as the sequences take place. As there are various themes, the theme of community of five men staying in the hotel enjoying time together gets depicted when the climate outside the hotel is not suitable to go out. Another theme of journalism is visible through the dialog of Easterner when he remarks about Swede: “Oh, I dont know, but it seems to me this man has been reading dime novels, and he thinks hes right out in the middle of it--the shootin and stabbin and all” (Canada 175). Scully attempts to erase Swedes generalizations by showing him photos of his family and sharing whiskey with him (Canada 173). Naturalism has been the leading trait of Stephen Crane’s works, which is equally visible in the human control of emotions. Swede is impressed by the popular culture and generalizes the surroundings, as he says to Johnnie: “I suppose there have been a good many men killed in this room” (Canada 169). There have been many other themes, such as how alcohol overpowers drinkers provoking them to indulge in fight, as Swede begins to fight with the gambler under the impact of alcohol. Crane presents the theme of the weakness of the human structure; how it falls down, as gets: “…pierced as easily as if it had been a melon” (Canada 191). The man is controlled by the inner nature. This theme of feeling pride in one’s prowess lets Swede start the fight, as he says: “Maybe you think I cant fight! Maybe you think I cant! Ill show you, you skin, you card-sharp” (Canada 180). The Easterners lack of courage becomes the cause of fight: “. . . Johnnie was cheating. I saw him. I know it. I saw him. And I refused to stand up and be a man” (Canada 193). The theme of the upper hand of nature over man through the swirling snow and cold air becomes vivid, as wind’s impact on playing cards indicates how nature controls and overpowers everything, including cards: “Some of the scarred and bedabbled cards were caught up from the floor and dashed helplessly against the farther wall” (Canada 181). “One viewed the existence of man then as a marvel, and conceded a glamour of wonder to these lice which were caused to cling to a whirling, fire-smitten, ice-locked, disease-stricken, space-lost bulb" (Canada 188). Man is controlled by situations: Although characters are deficient in individual power; nevertheless, their functions create a total effect, as the Easterner tells the cowboy that the Swedes death was the outcome of all five card players functions: “Every sin is the result of a collaboration” (Canada 193). The feeling of guilt by the Easterner for lettings things take a bad turn proves that one can choose the right path irrespective of the mood of the nature; otherwise the Easterner would not have felt guilty for the death of Swede (Canada 193). One can put limits on self, as the Easterners guilt over allowing events to proceed suggests that one is not purely a victim of forces. If all truly were predetermined, why then would the Easterner feel responsible for the Swedes death (Canada 193)? The outer and inner exterior of the hotel presents the true character of man, which in the case of Swede is that he projects a different outward picture although he is not what he projects. The exterior paint of the hotel is quite attractive, garish blue, but like human beings, its inner walls are just like any ordinary building. The characterization of Swede represents this double character, presenting a theme that what we see is not what it is! No one can imagine that the professional looking gambler would commit a murder all of a sudden (Sharks Short Story Review 1). Crane develops his story on earlier images through action, place, and weather in such a way that each succeeding image looks to be an expansion of the past image. For instance, image of cards is used with dexterity even when the men are not playing cards. The game of cards comes to the readers’ mind. “Of course the board had been overturned …the boots of men trampled fat and painted kings and queens as they gazed with their silly eyes at the war that was waging above them.” Later when the door is thrown open, “Some of the scarred and bedabbled cards were caught up from the floor and dashed helplessly against the farther wall.” Again the image of cards is revived, “As they entered, some cards again rose from the floor and beat against the wall” (Peirce 162). Crane describes the room in the hotel quite effectively; playing of the card games brings life to it not only naturally, but symbolically too. Crane compares the small room to a temple for a huge stove was creating huge sound nuisance in the center, as it was “humming with godlike violence.” He compares the temperature of the little room by stating, “No island of the sea could be exempt … with its humming stove” (Peirce 163). Later, when the Swede blames Johnnie of cheating, Crane says that such scenes have nothing peculiar, as they can take a positive or negative turn but this little room was showing the signs of becoming “a torture-chamber.” The reader, first of all, gets a view of the blizzard outside from the window of this room. Cranes weather description is a contrast to the cruel counterpoint of the card games, showing the wrath and violence of the community of men. It adds another angle, away from the two views of the printed page offering a flight to the wings of imagination. Crane humanizes the wind and weather, animating them: “the two little windows … a turmoiling sea of snow. The huge arms of the wind … mighty, circular, futile … embrace the flakes ... A gate-post like a still man with a blanched face …” (Peirce 163). The snow turns blue “…in the shadow of the dusk.” The wind is almost tearing the house, and some loose hanging parts of the structure are creating noise from the intermittent hitting “like a spirit tapping.” Later, the flame of the lamp is trying hard to save the wick from extinguishing, as a puff of black smoke comes out of the chimney-top. The roar of the stove was similar to that of the storm, compelling “the men lowered their heads and plunged into the tempest as into a sea” (Peirce 163). Especial about the imagery of Crane is his use of only seeing and hearing imagery. Crane’s range of imagery is so vast that without describing smell or taste he provides the feel of all. Without providing a description of taste or smell, the Swede “grabbed the bottle … to his mouth.” The story allows him only to tell the effect of whisky: “a loud stamping on the stairs,” “ringing jokes,” “laughter, evidently from the Swede,” depict that the men are drunk. Cranes greatness lies in his selection of words to describe the imagery such as: “a gust of polar wind whirled… [The snow] burned their faces like fire” (Peirce 163). The image of tempest in “The Blue Hotel” is overwhelming to the extent that it is all-pervasive; it is peeling everything, giving the feeling that presence of man on earth is not less than a miracle (Reading and Discussion Questions on Stephen Cranes "The Blue Hotel" 1). Works Cited Canada, Mark, ed. "Stephen Crane." Canadas America. 1997. Peirce, J.F. “Stephen Cranes Use of Figurative Language in "The Blue Hotel".” The South Central Bulletin, 34. 4 (1974): pp. 160-164. The Johns Hopkins University Press. . Reading and Discussion Questions on Stephen Cranes "The Blue Hotel" “Read the Story Online: Bibliography of Criticism on "The Blue Hotel".” 2006. . Shark’s Short Story Reviews of The Blue Hotel - Stephen Crane. 8 May 2011. . Stephen Crane 1-32: The Blue Hotel. 1899. . http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/crane/bluehotelques.htm Read More