A Mystery Of Heroism Analysis

A Comparative Study Of “A Mystery Of Heroism” and “War is Kind”

“A Mystery Of Heroism” and “War is Kind” are texts written by Stephen Crane about the American Civil War showing the pointlessness and losses that occurred during that time period. Although both texts have similar ideals, they also differ substantially when it comes to making certain points. These texts are a prime example of realism, which is one of Crane’s most popular literary theories used.

“A Mystery Of Heroism” is a short story by Stephen Crane portraying the pointlessness of war. It begins with the protagonist, Fred Collins, who is in desperate need for a drink of water. He decides, against all odds, to face the battlefield in his search for anything to quench his thirst, and runs through a battlefield to get to a well. Filling up a bucket with water, he manages to make his way back to his sidelines, stopping in the meantime to give water to a dying man. However, as the first officers take a drink, the bucket manages to drop from their hands and onto the ground, effectively displaying the irony when looking at the bigger picture- war does not mean progress, and it is in fact, senseless. By mocking the typical, “romantic” hero, and using realism, Crane implements a new type of hero- one that is more realistic and more achievable for the average person. Fred Collins stands up for his own beliefs, and shows kindness to a dying man.

It is a highly ironic piece, once again rebelling against the idea of traditional heroes. In the poem, the narrator thrice tells different women not to cry, even though their husbands, sons, and fathers are dying on the battlefield, because “war is kind”. The text uses repetition of these three words throughout the text to emphasize the cruelty of war, and the “smallness” of the soldiers- ”Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die.”, shows