The Civil War is the single most important event in America's historical entity. While the Revolutionary War created the United States, the Civil War of 1861 determined what kind of nation it would be. One author in particular is credited to have written one of the most influential works that changed America. Living during the sensitive time of the reformation of the country after the Civil War, Stephen Crane published The Red Badge of Courage in order to expose people to a different perspective of the harsh realities of war. Crane’s novel quickly gained recognition for his unique point of view throughout the story and is now thought to be a significant text in American literature. Crane’s distinctive style in his novel uses themes of naturalistic and realistic views of warfare to create a vision for the public to recognize. Crane's imaginative effort to create a story remarkably plausible caused many people to believe he was a veteran of war. Critics marveled at the emotional power of his vivid and visual prose. Stephen Crane’s purpose in
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The Red Badge of Courage gained widespread acclaim shortly after its publication, making Stephen Crane an instant literary celebrity at the age of twenty-four. Crane did receive negative criticism initially, however, overall many critics gave high appraisal for his work. William Dean Howells, writing in Harper's Weekly, praises Crane's "divinations of motive and experience" but gives doubt as to whether Crane can be considered a realist writer. Howells preferred to call his prose style "impressionistic" which is still debated among critics about which of these labels to use. (“Early Reviews”). Adapted several times for the screen, the novel became a bestseller. It has never been out of print and is now thought to be Crane's most important work and a major American
The Red Badge of Courage gained widespread acclaim shortly after its publication, making Stephen Crane an instant literary celebrity at the age of twenty-four. Crane did receive negative criticism initially, however, overall many critics gave high appraisal for his work. William Dean Howells, writing in Harper's Weekly, praises Crane's "divinations of motive and experience" but gives doubt as to whether Crane can be considered a realist writer. Howells preferred to call his prose style "impressionistic" which is still debated among critics about which of these labels to use. (“Early Reviews”). Adapted several times for the screen, the novel became a bestseller. It has never been out of print and is now thought to be Crane's most important work and a major American