Journal #23 Stephen Crane: High Stress Can Cause Narcissism!

QUOTE:

“If I am going to be drowned – if I am going to be drowned – if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees” (Crane 1011).


SUMMARY:

This is the plea repeated throughout the treacherous last stretch of the boat trip to shore.


RESPONSE:

I pointed this quote out in class as being one of the emotional stages the men go through while they try to survive their trip to shore. I really related to this sort of questioning since I had a very similar mindset right after my accident, but now I see how it is basically thinking, “Hey this is ME…how can I be put through this?” This mindset seems to fall under a more narcissistic attitude, and can cause anyone to become annoyed or angry with anyone or anything (no matter how trivial the situation may be). Being on the outside looking in makes it much easier for the readers to either identify the misinterpretation as a result of the high stress atmosphere, or to laugh at it.

There isn’t really anything to laugh at in a situation like this one though. I don’t think this quote is repeated because it is funny or narcissistic, I think Crane is representing the psyche of the characters; and especially since his style falls into the category of “realism” and “naturalism,” it makes the most sense to portray the more extreme psychological responses real people may have.

I think one of the main reasons why I liked this story so much is because it is so real. I happen to relate to how real it is from my own personal experience, but I think anyone can identify the story in his or her own way and enjoy it. Crane’s fictional account of a nonfiction story is told from the perspective of almost a “reporter-type” third person, but still keeps the emotion of reading a story told in the first person.