The Value Of Life In Stephen Crane's Maggie, A Girl Of The Streets

For many people, reading is a form of escapism. The appeal of books, especially works of fiction, is that they let us see into another life. In many cases, the lives we read about are more exciting or extraordinary then our own. But in the case of Stephen Crane’s Maggie, A Girl of the Streets, the life we are being shown is less than extraordinary. He brings us into the grim, merciless world of New York City’s Bowery neighborhood in the late 19th century. Although it is a disheartening view of society, the perspective that Crane provides is beneficial in a different way. Maggie, A Girl of the Streets serves as a reminder that romanticizing such a flawed world does not always lead to happiness.
Maggie, A Girl of the Streets does not provide the reader with much to be happy about. It begins with all the makings of a rags-to-riches tale: the inspiring vision of the American dream which says that anyone can rise to the top, regardless of opportunity. But that was not the story Crane wanted to tell. Similar to the photos published by Jacob Riis, Maggie, A Girl of the Streets is a window …show more content…
Many people, both in the 19th century and today, can relate to wanting to rise in standing, needing to feel more important than they are, or even looking down on those who are different than them. These are common human shortcomings, and from the demise of Maggie caused by those around her, we learn that they can be taken too far. Jacob Riis called people of Maggie and Jimmie’s standing “the other half,” but besides a lack of opportunity, Crane shows in this story that the two halves are actually very similar. Crane’s Maggie, A Girl of the Streets gives readers a window into a life that may be otherwise foreign to them. This vivid glimpse into a life of poverty is jarring, but reading this novel can help us recognize dangerous flaws in society, or ourselves, that we have never seen