Look at Specific Works in American Literature

¶ … Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane details the life and experiences of Henry Fleming, who encounters great conflict between overcoming his fear of war and death and becoming a glorious fighter for his country in the battlefield. Published in the 19th century, Crane's novel evokes an idealist picture of nationalism, patriotism, and loyalty in America, especially in its war efforts. Fleming's character can be considered as the epitome of an individual who experiences internal conflict between following his heart or mind. Henry's mind tells him that he should give up fighting in the war because it only results to numerous deaths, wherein soldiers fighting for their country end up getting wounded, or worse, killed. However, eventually, as he was overcome with guilt over his cowardice and fear of death and war, Henry followed his mother's advice, following his heart. By being true to himself, he won and survived the war.

Henry Fleming's reaction and the conflict he experienced in the novel is just, in that he only acted based on what human instinct tells him to do. Indeed, under the Social Darwinist perspective, Henry's eventual 'conversion' and resolution to survive and prove himself the best warrior in the battlefield strengthened him to fight and emerge victorious and glorious in the war. Henry's initial fear of death and war is considered a natural reaction for humans to survive, since fear for death means Henry values survival and life. Thus, fear becomes a natural reaction for humans in the novel, and Henry's moment of fear and need for survival is best expressed in the following passage from Crane's novel: "A lad whose face had borne an expression of exalted courage, the majesty of he who dares give his life, was, at an instant, smitten abject. He blanched like one who has come to the edge of a cliff at midnight and is suddenly made aware. There was a revelation. He, too, threw down his gun and fled. There was no shame in his face. He ran like a rabbit."

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "Yellow Wallpaper" is, may, at first glance, be perceived as a story depicting women suppression, where the woman protagonist (left unnamed in the short story), had experienced insanity, feeling the yellow wallpaper of her room closing in on her as she slipped down to illness and eventual insanity. However, the woman's slide to insanity is not considered a manifestation of the woman's physical weakness, as biological theories posit that women do not have the capacity for abstract or complex thinking. In fact, the woman's depression is caused by lack of anything to do, and the confinement that she received from her husband in their new room triggered thoughts of suppression and isolation within her psyche. Indeed, it is evident that instead of rest and sleep, what the woman needs is 'work, excitement, and change,' which is not given to him by her husband her and brother. Thus, through this scene in the story, Gilman already gives us a glimpse of the woman's suppression of her will to move about, that is, to exercise her 'mobility' (in all aspects -physically, emotionally, mentally, etc.) in her society.

After reaching the end of her descent to insanity, the woman, at the end of the story, has finally succumbed to insanity, and in her being insane, she finally gains her power over her husband, society, and other elements that suppress her rights and womanhood. Thus, it becomes clear that "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a complex study of a woman trying to break free from the patterns, or norms of a hostile society against women.

Laden with symbolism, the poem "After Apple-Picking" by Robert Frost presents the poet's view of death, where apple-picking becomes synonymous with life. The choice of the "apple" as the primary element to use in the poem shows how Frost utilized Biblical accounts that depict that act of sinning and sinful individuals, of which Adam and Eve and the Story in the Garden of Eden are reminiscent examples of Frost's use of imagery and symbolism in the poem.

It is apparent that Frost's "Apple- Picking' can be best summed up as an episode of the narrator's encounter with his impending death; the 'sleep' mentioned in the poem is actually a symbol for death, and the activity of 'apple-picking' is actually the life the man had led over the years. The narrator describes the life he had through the following lines in the poem: "And there's a barrel that I didn't fill / Beside it, and there may be two or three / Apples I didn't pick in the bough / But I am done with apple-picking now." These lines illustrate how the man had lived his life full of regrets and unaccomplished goals and dreams in life ("... there's a barrel I didn't fill..."), and how he resolved to end his pursuit for success in life, and face the death that is fast approaching his age, as was explicit in his line,.." I am done with apple-picking now." These details in the poem is said to be an example of man's fall because of his sins, and this is illustrated by using in analogy the story of Adam and Eve, wherein the apple is used as a symbol for the fall of man.

Thus, through the plot of the poem's story, tone use, and symbolism, it can be established that the poem "After Apple-Picking" is a story that depicts the man's reflection about his life, which was illustrated through his dreams while he was 'sleeping.' His reflections in his dreams is an essential factor because it becomes the narrator's deciding factor in choosing between continuing life and accepting his death after so many frustrations in life. In effect, the narrator's coming back to 'life' after his 'sleep' is illustrative of the narrator's decision to live life anew, and continue his apple-picking life, in exchange for his near encounter with death.