John Carter

Green Group
10/19/2014

Style Analysis Maggie

Stephen Crane, in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets effectively creates tones of sympathy and
surprise. In the last chapter in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets tones of sympathy and surprise greet
Maggies death. As the woman in the tenement house of Maggies grieving mother surround her room the
Stephen Crane describes the scene as neat and orderly. The author also names Maggies mother the
mourner in stating her almost fetal position crying to convey a certain depression not usually felt towards
such an antagonist-like character.
The diction heightens the tones of sympathy and surprise. In the description of the mother the
sympathetic tone is expressed, Her good motherly face was wet with tears. Stephen Crane is clearly
attempting to convey a tone of sympathy directed toward the mother as elaborated in, She trembled in
eagerness to express her sympathy. The words, wet with tears are used to allow the reader to
sympathize with the mother even after she has treated her daughter so poorly. This particular word choice
strongly contrasts with former diction used to describe Maggies mother. Stephen Crane uses good
motherly face and she trembled in eagerness to express her sympathy to demonstrate the mother
sympathy toward her child and, in turn, allowing us to experience sympathy towards her as well. Stephen
Crane also surprises the readers using words choice such as, The neighbors began to gather in the hall,
staring in at the weeping woman as if watching the contortions of a dying dog. To add on to the contrast,
Under busy hands the rooms took on that appalling appearance of neatness and order. This deeply
affects the reader by comparing the crying mother to a dying dog and using that appalled appearance to
express a familiar sight to really make the reader step back; appalled at the events that occurred. The
rooms in the tenement house are always described as chaotic and trashed, but alongside the untimely
death of Maggie the rooms suddenly appear neat and orderly as a silence blankets the adjacent rooms.
Stephen Crane successfully uses diction to convey choice tones in the final chapter of the book

Maggie: A Girl of the Streets.

John Carter
Green Group
10/19/2014

The neighbors began to gather in the hall, staring in at the weeping woman in as if watching the
contortions of a dying dog. A dozen women entered and lamented with her. Under their busy hands the
rooms took on that appalling appearance of neatness and order with which death is greeted.
Her good, motherly face was wet with tears. She trembled in eagerness to express her sympathy.
The mourner sat with bowed head, rocking her body heavily to and fro, and crying out in a high, strained
voice that sounded like a dirge on some forlorn pipe.