Steven Crane, born in 1871, was one of the American's foremost realistic writers, and his works have been credited with marking the beginning of modern American Naturalism. Crane utilized his keen observations, as well as personal experiences, to achieve a narrative vividness and sense of immediacy matched by a few American writers before him. (LRC-5)
             In two stories written by Crane, both objects and characters mean more than their physical name. The two stories I am referring to are the "The Open Boat", and "The Blue Hotel". Both stories written in 1898. "The Open Boat", was a story written about Crane's experience in a shipwreck of the Commodore. "The Open Boat" raises deeply philosophical issues and is rife with symbolism. (LRC-1) The story has four main characters that are all symbolized in the story by their names or by their thought and actions.
             The captain, was an injured character in the story, he was unable to help row the boat and guide it like captains do, when they are about the sea. In the end this character survives by clinging on to the overturned boat as it washed into the shallow water by the surf. He waves away a rescuer and points to the correspondent, indicating he should be helped first. (LRC-2) The symbolism in this character is his ability to survive despite his weakened condition and although he is withdrawn and dejected, the captain feels he must make decisions for the rest of the crew and encourages them onward, although he secretly feels they will parish. (LRC-3) The cook on the other hand is an opposite of the captain he is fat, and untidily dressed. He does not help row the boat, but does work in helping bail seawater out of the boat. When they finally spot shore the cook comments continuously on how strange it is that the crew of what he believes is a lifesaving station has not spotted them an!
             d sent out a rescue boat yet. He repeats this long after they find that the building is vacant with no...