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Red Badge Of Courage Realism

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Analyzing characters, describing the unforgiving mother nature, and making a story feel relatable are all elements of Realism. Both The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane, and To Build a Fire, by Jack London, are literary pieces that seem to be written using a more realistic storyline. Realism is an aspect in each piece, making the stories more "realistic", and able to have a message that will stick with the reader. The infantry going into battle, and the man who goes into the foreboding cold are both analyzed by the narrator. The weather and setting in both stories is unforgiving, and one of the character's lives comes to a quick, early ending. Pathos, defined in the textbook as the quality in something experienced or observed which arouses …show more content…

He thought about retiring the army by making excuses, thinking he wasn't made to be a hero; however, in an unexpected ending, he ends up going to the battlefront and fighting for nobility and honor. "getting calmly killed on a high place before the eyes of all" (5), may not be the thought that gets everyone on the battlefront, but this is an element of the piece that makes it Realism. The pathos and analyzing of the character are what makes /The Red Badge of Courage/ a Realism piece. /To Build a Fire/, on the other hand, is a Realism piece because of the unforgiving mother nature, and the analyzing of the main character. The man in this story takes a journey through -50 degree weather, and comes across many obstacles that lead to his quick death miles from his destination. "Even if he did succeed, he would most likely lose some toes. "His feet must be badly frozen by now, and there would be some time before the second fire was ready." (489), is one of the many excerpts in the novel where one would assume the man was struggling. The nature was clearly foreboding, and unforgiving when it took the man's life. The way this man's thoughts changed was shown through his urge to kill the dog who came with him on the journey. Although his attempt to kill it was unsuccessful, this scene still shows how inhumane he became. So, it's clear to see that both stories had many

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