American Literature- "Fred Collins: Fool or Hero?"
             To characterize Crane's character, Collins as a "Fool" or a "Hero" is a difficult thing to decide. Was he foolish for going out into the barrage of bullets or a hero for giving the wounded artillery officer a drink (and a bath)?
             To characterize him as one or the other is asking to define what a hero is? Is it someone you look up to, someone you idealize, or someone who does something amazing? It depends of your perspective of things. If you were to ask me what I thought a hero was I'd respond with something like, "A hero is a person who does something selflessly, without gain, for another person, or someone who achieves something great for others."
             At some point the lines between the two things begin to blur. Collins went to get the water for himself and at first screamed at the man that he couldn't stop or spare the water. But then upon realization and what he felt to be the right thing he turned, still in the field with the guns firing and and returned to the dying man giving him a drink. While doing so he shakily spilt the water over his face (but it's the thought that counts) and fled back to safety carrying the bucket with him.
             Basically he left with his want for water and his inability to turn back for fear of humiliation. He risked his own life to keep his pride and to not look foolish, that makes him a fool. But while out there he did something selfless not at the first opportunity but at the second. Giving what you sought out to get for sake of pride, then selflessly giving it to someone who was dying. Does that make him a hero or a fool?
             Collins left to get water and came back empty handed, or did he? By stopping to give the man a drink did he show the aspects of what some people believe to be a hero? Did he come back with something more? In my opinion young Collins left a fool but returned a hero.
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