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Cole Kelley

Professor Cynthia W. Spangler

EH 2304

22 February 2021

Think Response #2

Outside of class, I've actually been casually studying cranes work. ​The Red

Badge of courage, War is Kind​, and a multitude of his famous poems. I've always found

art that uses realism or naturalism to its aid to be extremely powerful and moving.

Though naturalism and realism both have different meanings outside of literature,

naturalism pertaining to art is the style and theory of representation based on accurate

depiction of detail. Basically, this style of art uses real-life situations and or

environments to depict its stories. I've grown to admire this subgenre of art by watching

various films that utilize this storytelling style, especially films that involve exaggerated

characters such as superheroes that still maintain a grounded sense of reality.

An example of this would be ​The Dark Knight trilogy​ by Christopher Nolan. These

three films are centered around the comic book hero Batman but handle the extreme

comic book elements in a notably toned done manner. Thus making the story of

Batman, a masked vigilante that dresses up as a bat every night, somehow—realistic.

The director, Christopher Nolan, has gone on record to say that the studio chose this

approach because they felt it was the best way to make audiences relate to and

ultimately empathize with the over-the-top story and characters. The final installment in

the trilogy, ​The Dark Knight Rises​, draws a lot of connections towards Charles Dickens,

A Tale Of Two Cities​, A famous novel that notably uses historical fiction to emphasize
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the naturalistic and real implications of its story. The story and characters may have

ever existed, but the way it is told is so recognizably authentic and natural. The reader

almost subconsciously feels the story's weight; Stephen Cranes ​The Open Boat

showcases that sentiment perfectly.

NONE of them knew the color of the sky. Their eyes glanced level and were

fastened upon the waves that swept toward them. These waves were of the hue

of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew

the colors of the sea. The horizon narrowed and widened, and dipped and rose,

and at all times its edge was jagged with waves that seemed thrust up in points

like rocks. (Crane)

This excerpt from Cranes, ​The Open Boat​, is the first introduction we have to the

characters and environment, and it perfectly sets the stage. One of Crane's greatest

strengths is his descriptions. He goes into such depth with the most minute details that it

gives the audience such a visceral understanding of the atmosphere crane is trying to

portray. With this opening paragraph, Crane uses color and the sailors' perspective to

formulate the environment that we as readers are getting thrown into. Specifically

emphasizing the slate hue of the waves and the narrowing of the horizon between the

sky and the sea. This description throws us right into this story. This place is inherently

real because of the way the information is presented to us.

Outside of creating an environment that naturally feels real, Crane utilizes

naturalism in this short story as an antagonist almost. Because this story is told in such

a real manner, there are no magic spells, no death-defying odds, or evil overdramatic

villains; instead, the driving force that these men fight against— is nature. Throughout
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the entire story, Crane uses nature to test these men. By emphasizing nature's visceral

characteristics and elaborating in-depth on those characteristics through character

reflection, Crane gives this story of men searching for survival a haunting yet

understanding tone. We find this so haunting because we live and breathe in this very

world that Crane has created.

I personally find the use of naturalism and realism to be extraordinarily poignant

and a valued tool that I look to use in my writing.