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The Monster, and Other Stories
This Elibron Classics edition is a facsimile reprint of a 1899 edition by Harper & Brothers, New York and London.
226 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1898
About the author
Stephen Crane
1,525 books1,091 followersStephen Crane (1871-1900) was an American novelist, poet and journalist, best known for the novel, The Red Badge of Courage. That work introduced the reading world to Crane's striking prose, a mix of impressionism, naturalism and symbolism. He died at age 28 in Badenweiler, Baden, Germany.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 2, 2024
The Monster and Other Stories was Crane’s last collection published during his lifetime, and it contains some of his finest work. The three stories vary widely in tone, but each is masterfully executed.
The Monster is a tragedy felt in the gut. A kind and dignified Black coachman heroically saves the child of the town’s doctor from a house fire. He is rendered monstrously disfigured and simpleminded as a consequence, and becomes a repellent object of fear to the town. This story is as bleak as it is well written.
The Blue Hotel presents a situation that initially seems humorous in its absurdity. An irrationally paranoid traveler fears for his life amid obviously harmless companions in the hotel. The proprietor of the establishment gets him drunk to sooth his fears, but the traveler goes from trepidatious to belligerent sending the story in an unexpected direction.
His New Mittens eschews the darker themes of the previous stories. Instead, this charming story evokes an authentic picture of childhood, demonstrating that the world of boyhood is remarkably unchanging over the past hundred and twenty years.
The Monster is a tragedy felt in the gut. A kind and dignified Black coachman heroically saves the child of the town’s doctor from a house fire. He is rendered monstrously disfigured and simpleminded as a consequence, and becomes a repellent object of fear to the town. This story is as bleak as it is well written.
The Blue Hotel presents a situation that initially seems humorous in its absurdity. An irrationally paranoid traveler fears for his life amid obviously harmless companions in the hotel. The proprietor of the establishment gets him drunk to sooth his fears, but the traveler goes from trepidatious to belligerent sending the story in an unexpected direction.
His New Mittens eschews the darker themes of the previous stories. Instead, this charming story evokes an authentic picture of childhood, demonstrating that the world of boyhood is remarkably unchanging over the past hundred and twenty years.
May 25, 2015
Com uma escrita envolvente e preciosa, Stephen Crane concebe três histórias que vão muito além do que relatam.
O Monstro
Uma casa a arder. Uma criança presa no meio das chamas. Um homem que a salva, ficando transformado numa coisa. Um pai que leva ao limite a sua gratidão. Uma comunidade que tem medo de um homem apenas porque ele tem o rosto desfigurado.
O que é mais assustador? Um homem fisicamente destruído, ou a mente humana?
O Hotel Azul
Um homem chega a uma cidade e hospeda-se num hotel. Desconfiado e medroso, envolve-se numa zaragata que termina num final trágico.
Cada um de nós, por acção ou inacção, tem, directa e indirectamente, influência no destino dos outros?
As Luvas Novas de Horace
Um menino que se envolve num duelo de bolas de neve com os seus amigos. A mãe castiga-o e ele foge de casa.
De que precisamos mais? De liberdade ou do carinho daqueles que amamos e que nos amam?
Para deixar uma ideia do poder das palavras de Stephen Crane, transcrevo um poema (que não consta deste livro). Numa primeira leitura, parece violento mas, se o lermos de novo e de novo, encontramos uma forma profunda e bela de um Ser afirmar que se aceita e se quer a si próprio, tal como é. É assim que eu o interpreto.
"No deserto,
vi uma criatura nua, brutal,
que de cócoras na terra
tinha o seu próprio coração
nas mãos e comia…
Disse-lhe: «É bom, amigo?»
«É amargo - respondeu -,
amargo, mas gosto
porque é amargo
e porque é o meu coração.”
O Monstro
Uma casa a arder. Uma criança presa no meio das chamas. Um homem que a salva, ficando transformado numa coisa. Um pai que leva ao limite a sua gratidão. Uma comunidade que tem medo de um homem apenas porque ele tem o rosto desfigurado.
O que é mais assustador? Um homem fisicamente destruído, ou a mente humana?
O Hotel Azul
Um homem chega a uma cidade e hospeda-se num hotel. Desconfiado e medroso, envolve-se numa zaragata que termina num final trágico.
Cada um de nós, por acção ou inacção, tem, directa e indirectamente, influência no destino dos outros?
As Luvas Novas de Horace
Um menino que se envolve num duelo de bolas de neve com os seus amigos. A mãe castiga-o e ele foge de casa.
De que precisamos mais? De liberdade ou do carinho daqueles que amamos e que nos amam?
Para deixar uma ideia do poder das palavras de Stephen Crane, transcrevo um poema (que não consta deste livro). Numa primeira leitura, parece violento mas, se o lermos de novo e de novo, encontramos uma forma profunda e bela de um Ser afirmar que se aceita e se quer a si próprio, tal como é. É assim que eu o interpreto.
"No deserto,
vi uma criatura nua, brutal,
que de cócoras na terra
tinha o seu próprio coração
nas mãos e comia…
Disse-lhe: «É bom, amigo?»
«É amargo - respondeu -,
amargo, mas gosto
porque é amargo
e porque é o meu coração.”
September 2, 2017
Two of my favorite Stephen Crane stories are in this book "The Monster" and "His New Mittens". These are two of the last stories that Crane wrote before his untimely death at 28.
Crane's writings fit into the Naturalist genre. In "The Monster" Crane highlights the racism and the group think mentality that existed in this upstate NY town at the turn of the century. It is essentially a play on morality. The story has been compared to Frankenstein and it seems very likely that Crane was aware of the similarities to Mary Shelley's novel.
"His New Mittens" is a highly relatable story about a young boy who feels bullied by everyone including his mother and aunt. The aggrieved boy reacts predictably to his circumstances. For anyone as a child who ever ran away, thought about running away or hid from parents this story will ring true.
I think what I enjoy most about Stephen Crane stories is how quickly I come to care about his characters.
Crane's writings fit into the Naturalist genre. In "The Monster" Crane highlights the racism and the group think mentality that existed in this upstate NY town at the turn of the century. It is essentially a play on morality. The story has been compared to Frankenstein and it seems very likely that Crane was aware of the similarities to Mary Shelley's novel.
"His New Mittens" is a highly relatable story about a young boy who feels bullied by everyone including his mother and aunt. The aggrieved boy reacts predictably to his circumstances. For anyone as a child who ever ran away, thought about running away or hid from parents this story will ring true.
I think what I enjoy most about Stephen Crane stories is how quickly I come to care about his characters.
October 7, 2018
Monster is an adroit study of disgust and prejudice. Blue Hotel is good on fear and bravado. New Mittens is the weakest of the set.
October 2, 2023
everybody know i'm a motherfuckin monster
March 17, 2023
19th cen. American literature, imo, is so far behind Europe — both as literature and in its cultural intelligence — that it is very hard for me to read it and take it seriously. My biases are so overwhelming here.
Read
June 29, 2023Auch dieses Buch breche ich ab. Ich finde einfach keinen Zugang zu den Geschichten.
May 9, 2014
I really liked this book. I found it from a list of books Ernest Hemingway recommended to an aspiring writer, which included one of these three short stories. This collection includes The Monster, The Blue Hotel (Hemingway's recommendation), and The New Mittens. I enjoyed all three stories. I thought Stephen Crane's writing style might be too old fashioned or inaccessible, but I found the stories easy to read and quite thought-provoking. Crane can really illustrate with his words, and is effective at painting a wide range of characters. I was proud of the dad in The Monster for sticking up for Henry. I was scared of The Swede in The Blue Hotel, and I was entertained by the little boy who ruined his mittens (and could totally relate to the boy's motivation to run away from home. I'm pretty sure I pulled the same stunt when I was a kid!). Crane is a great writer, and I'm very happy I read this. Thanks for the recommendation, Hemingway!
April 17, 2013
The Blue Hotel was quite good, but The Monster was too heavy-handed for me.
March 6, 2022
In a discourse, I didn't like this book while reading, but I liked it after I completed and re-read the critics about it. So I would suggest reading the reviews to everyone. And I encourage readers to imagine a similar scenario, what if this story was lived around you? What would be different?
The novella redirect you to read more reviews, uncover symbolism and abstractions, and this process is so delightful (for instance, the great fire standing for civil war)
The monster is not a novella about the alienation of a black guy from the community. It's about being out of the community's average three times; as a black person, as a faceless person, as a person with mental problems. The community is not so blind to the situation. You feel the conflict of the town like these sayings below. So I don't agree with those who claim this book is about the town people's misconception.
And the monster is about an attempt to heal an out-of-average man by a doctor alone. You wonder why a man would be alone in the idea of healing someone. What kind of anger, short-termism, and conflict may cause this? Actually, the civil war. Malcom Foster points out an essential point in his review titled "The Black Crepe Veil: The Significance of Stephen Crane's The Monster";
Stephen Crane has died young and thought on civil war. The most remarkable remaining of Crane is this "so divine" story.
The human brain works well on contrasts. The novella draws a contrast between the town's beliefs and the doctor's. But it does not draw a contrast on the behaviors of the community. For instance, how would the community react to a white person's monsterization? We cannot reach a conclusion, so the novella doesn't trigger thoughts on you and leads you to shallow conclusions. The war is not a superficial thing, so when I hear a story that resembles or lets you think about the war and underlying behaviors and beliefs, this kind of novella does not stimulate my brain.
The novella is good at illuminating the environment; you can hear the sound of the buggy cars' new experimental electric vehicles, see the maple trees, see the scene's beauty, and feel the wind. While I imagined the contrast between the beauty of the town and the false-positive simplicity of town people's behavior, I mused, not amused.
The novella doesn't give a guide or principle to see a similar case differently. For example, it would be amazing to hear Johnson's inner voice, how he saw his situation, and how he compares his situation. This would make the novella profound and more illuminating.
The other stories share some similarities. I think Crane is more clear to reflect his opinions on society in "the blue hotel" story through cowboy character;
The novella redirect you to read more reviews, uncover symbolism and abstractions, and this process is so delightful (for instance, the great fire standing for civil war)
The monster is not a novella about the alienation of a black guy from the community. It's about being out of the community's average three times; as a black person, as a faceless person, as a person with mental problems. The community is not so blind to the situation. You feel the conflict of the town like these sayings below. So I don't agree with those who claim this book is about the town people's misconception.
"No man can observe you as I have observed you and not know that it was a matter of conscience with you, but I am afraid, my friend, that it is one of the blunders of virtue."
"He will be what you like, judge," cried Trescott, in sudden, polite fury. "He will be anything, but, by God! he saved my boy."
After another silence, the judge said, "It is hard for a man to know what to do."
And the monster is about an attempt to heal an out-of-average man by a doctor alone. You wonder why a man would be alone in the idea of healing someone. What kind of anger, short-termism, and conflict may cause this? Actually, the civil war. Malcom Foster points out an essential point in his review titled "The Black Crepe Veil: The Significance of Stephen Crane's The Monster";
On a metaphorical level, Johnson's facelessness and imprisonment suggest the general dehumanization of black people in the United States after the Compromise of 1876 (Trescott's solution is, after all, a compromise between treating Johnson as human and letting him die), and the relegation of black America to the Southern rural ghetto thereafter. The United States paid off its black citizens, including veterans of the Civil War, with promises as empty as those Trescott makes Johnson.
Stephen Crane has died young and thought on civil war. The most remarkable remaining of Crane is this "so divine" story.
The human brain works well on contrasts. The novella draws a contrast between the town's beliefs and the doctor's. But it does not draw a contrast on the behaviors of the community. For instance, how would the community react to a white person's monsterization? We cannot reach a conclusion, so the novella doesn't trigger thoughts on you and leads you to shallow conclusions. The war is not a superficial thing, so when I hear a story that resembles or lets you think about the war and underlying behaviors and beliefs, this kind of novella does not stimulate my brain.
The novella is good at illuminating the environment; you can hear the sound of the buggy cars' new experimental electric vehicles, see the maple trees, see the scene's beauty, and feel the wind. While I imagined the contrast between the beauty of the town and the false-positive simplicity of town people's behavior, I mused, not amused.
The novella doesn't give a guide or principle to see a similar case differently. For example, it would be amazing to hear Johnson's inner voice, how he saw his situation, and how he compares his situation. This would make the novella profound and more illuminating.
The other stories share some similarities. I think Crane is more clear to reflect his opinions on society in "the blue hotel" story through cowboy character;
"Suddenly, a holocaust of warlike desire caught the cowboy."
October 8, 2020
Monster and Other Stories by Stephen Crane and Published By Dover Thrift Editions is a collection of three short stories by Stephen Crane. This collection includes “Monster”, “The Blue Hotel”, and “His New Mittens.”
I admit, I never read Red Badge of Courage even though I should have at least twice through first twelve years of schooling. The book never came up in my college studies and graduate school as required reading, but I was interested in it although I had too much required reading to get through first. After reading Monster, I have even more reason to read Red Badge of Courage. Crane was an excellent writer.
These three stories focus on human actions and reactions. “Monster” is particularly interesting as it deals with a black man, Hank, who saves his employer’s son from a fire, but in the process becomes horribly disfigured. The employer, a doctor, does what he can for Hank, and supports him. The reactions of the town people play a central role in the story and how they deal with a physically and mentally disfigured man in their town. It makes the reader think also about race and if that made any difference in the story. “The Blue Hotel” is another story that reads like good fiction, but it has an underlying plot of how random actions lead to a certain outcome. “His New Mittens” appears to be a child’s story filled with the emotions and logic of a child. From peer pressure to embarrassment and from resentment to belonging. A very well told story with much more to it than the title and opening seem to portray.
This collection gives the reader three great stories they probably never read or for that matter heard of. To most people, Crane would seem to be the “one hit wonder” writer of Red Badge of Courage. This collection shows that there is much more depth to the writer than just a war story writer. Very much worth the read.
I admit, I never read Red Badge of Courage even though I should have at least twice through first twelve years of schooling. The book never came up in my college studies and graduate school as required reading, but I was interested in it although I had too much required reading to get through first. After reading Monster, I have even more reason to read Red Badge of Courage. Crane was an excellent writer.
These three stories focus on human actions and reactions. “Monster” is particularly interesting as it deals with a black man, Hank, who saves his employer’s son from a fire, but in the process becomes horribly disfigured. The employer, a doctor, does what he can for Hank, and supports him. The reactions of the town people play a central role in the story and how they deal with a physically and mentally disfigured man in their town. It makes the reader think also about race and if that made any difference in the story. “The Blue Hotel” is another story that reads like good fiction, but it has an underlying plot of how random actions lead to a certain outcome. “His New Mittens” appears to be a child’s story filled with the emotions and logic of a child. From peer pressure to embarrassment and from resentment to belonging. A very well told story with much more to it than the title and opening seem to portray.
This collection gives the reader three great stories they probably never read or for that matter heard of. To most people, Crane would seem to be the “one hit wonder” writer of Red Badge of Courage. This collection shows that there is much more depth to the writer than just a war story writer. Very much worth the read.
July 19, 2017
A collection of three short stories by Stephen Crane, which all demonstrate his excellent skill as a writer.
The first story, The Monster, is by far the longest of the three, and deals with obligation and pride in an interesting morality tale. I particularly liked the way Crane took us through several different perspectives on this very American town, focusing on one character before swooping away and zooming in again on another somewhere else. There's plenty of realism here, and I appreciate how Crane leaves the situation open at the end for the reader to judge, rather than making any sweeping authorial statements - it reminds me very much of Hemingway's style.
The second story, The Blue Hotel, was specifically recommended by Hemingway (and is the reason I picked up this collection). It's a small-scope story about a paranoid, possibly mad traveller and the trouble he causes at the titular hotel, and probably my favourite of the three stories.
Deceptively complex, The Blue Hotel is a brilliant example of what Hemingway would later call 'Iceberg theory' - simple, realistic description, where narrative depth and context is only hinted at.
Finally, His New Mittens rounds out the trio with a story about a boy who wants to join in a snowball fight at the risk of defying his mother. It demonstrates perfectly the workings of a child's mind, including pitch-perfect renditions of peer pressure, embarrassment, and impotent fury.
The first story, The Monster, is by far the longest of the three, and deals with obligation and pride in an interesting morality tale. I particularly liked the way Crane took us through several different perspectives on this very American town, focusing on one character before swooping away and zooming in again on another somewhere else. There's plenty of realism here, and I appreciate how Crane leaves the situation open at the end for the reader to judge, rather than making any sweeping authorial statements - it reminds me very much of Hemingway's style.
The second story, The Blue Hotel, was specifically recommended by Hemingway (and is the reason I picked up this collection). It's a small-scope story about a paranoid, possibly mad traveller and the trouble he causes at the titular hotel, and probably my favourite of the three stories.
Deceptively complex, The Blue Hotel is a brilliant example of what Hemingway would later call 'Iceberg theory' - simple, realistic description, where narrative depth and context is only hinted at.
Finally, His New Mittens rounds out the trio with a story about a boy who wants to join in a snowball fight at the risk of defying his mother. It demonstrates perfectly the workings of a child's mind, including pitch-perfect renditions of peer pressure, embarrassment, and impotent fury.
November 8, 2018
I'd never read anything by Stephen Crane before, and this book was free on Amazon, so I thought I'd give it a go.
Three stories are contained in this collection: the titular story, The Monster, then The Blue Hotel, and finally a story whose name I can't remember; something about mittens, I think.
I didn't enjoy the Monster very much. It had some promise, and at first I thought it would be quite similar to Frankenstein, but I was wrong. It's long and drawn out, and I didn't understand the ending.
The Blue Hotel was pretty good, though. The beginning sounds like it's going to be a really good joke: A Swede, an Easterner, and a Cowboy walk into a hotel. While not exactly a joke, it's witty and punchy, and gets its message across. A good moral at the end, too.
The third story was nice and short, but seemed a bit pointless to me. No great lessons to be learnt, no stupefying prose or great revelations about the nature of humanity. Just an ordinary day in an ordinary life.
Other than that, the book that the Kindle edition was derived from is supposed to contain illustrations, but they're not present in the Kindle edition. Which wouldn't be so bad, except that the CAPTIONS for those illustrations exist, while the illustrations themselves are not. Super dissapointing.
Three stories are contained in this collection: the titular story, The Monster, then The Blue Hotel, and finally a story whose name I can't remember; something about mittens, I think.
I didn't enjoy the Monster very much. It had some promise, and at first I thought it would be quite similar to Frankenstein, but I was wrong. It's long and drawn out, and I didn't understand the ending.
The Blue Hotel was pretty good, though. The beginning sounds like it's going to be a really good joke: A Swede, an Easterner, and a Cowboy walk into a hotel. While not exactly a joke, it's witty and punchy, and gets its message across. A good moral at the end, too.
The third story was nice and short, but seemed a bit pointless to me. No great lessons to be learnt, no stupefying prose or great revelations about the nature of humanity. Just an ordinary day in an ordinary life.
Other than that, the book that the Kindle edition was derived from is supposed to contain illustrations, but they're not present in the Kindle edition. Which wouldn't be so bad, except that the CAPTIONS for those illustrations exist, while the illustrations themselves are not. Super dissapointing.
December 24, 2023
Over a century later…
…and we still have not figured out compassion. This heartbreaking tale reminded me of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” Although the details and plots differ a great deal, they resonate thematically, as both stories examine senseless communal cruelty. To wit:
“Even if there are a lot of fools in the world, we can’t see any reason why you should ruin yourself by opposing them. You can’t teach them anything, you know.”
If only this statement weren’t still true.
…and we still have not figured out compassion. This heartbreaking tale reminded me of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” Although the details and plots differ a great deal, they resonate thematically, as both stories examine senseless communal cruelty. To wit:
“Even if there are a lot of fools in the world, we can’t see any reason why you should ruin yourself by opposing them. You can’t teach them anything, you know.”
If only this statement weren’t still true.
January 1, 2024
There were some real chills in this collection, but the stories involving fist fight challenges and cowboys weren’t that interesting. Trying to remember where I’ve read the story about the killer with the red hair and white hands before. That lesson is psychology should be required reading in today’s world.
April 30, 2018
Three short stories. Pleasant enough, and not boring but the runaway boy tormented by school chums and his aunt was the most charming.
November 16, 2019
Full review to come!
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August 5, 2021I downloaded this from Project Gutenberg.org. for free. I recommend all check out site to see what is in public domain. No sign-in either.
January 9, 2026
The Monster is the best short story I’ve read in a long time.
September 17, 2022
A deeply complex and controversial novella by one of America’s greatest short story writers. I taught this in a class on American Realism and Naturalism and students appeared to enjoy it, if enjoying is even possible with this sad tale of Henry, his disfigurement, and ostracism from the town. There’s so much to talk about here: race, gender, class, disability and the intersections of each. And what this says about whiteness and racial fear I could write a whole other dissertation chapter about.
February 28, 2023
Die Anthologie enthält 12 Geschichten des leider viel zu früh verstorbenen Ausnahmetalentes Stephen Crane.
Erst im letzten Jahr las ich die Kurzgeschichtensammlung „Die tristen Tage von Coney Island“ mit weiteren Werken von ihm, und war schnell begeistert. Stephen Crane erzählt wie aus dem Leben gegriffen, sehr anschaulich und packend, man erkennt auch manches wieder, auch wenn zwischen den Erzählungen und heute über hundert Jahre liegen. So konnte ich z. B. gerade in den Geschichten aus kindlicher Perspektive (dazu später mehr) etwas wiederfinden.
Die titelgebende Geschichte „Das Monster“ ist die mit Abstand längste, schon fast ein Kurzroman. Es geht um den dunkelhäutigen Henry Johnson, der bei der Arztfamilie Trescott in Stellung ist. Als ein Brand ausbricht, rettet er Jimmie, dem Sohn des Hauses, das Leben, trägt aber selbst schwere Brandwunden, vor allem im Gesicht davon, und wird fortan von der Bevölkerung als Monster bezeichnet und gemieden, letztlich wirkt sein Dasein sich sogar negativ auf das Renommee seines Dienstherren aus. Mich hat diese Geschichte sehr berührt, aber auch bedrückt.
Die Trescotts, vor allem Jimmie kommen auch in weiteren Geschichten vor, diese werden aus Jimmies Perspektive erzählt, und man hat sofort den Eindruck, dass Crane sich noch gut an seine Kindheit erinnert. Diese Geschichten fand ich am eindrucksvollsten, zuzüglich der ersten „Neue Handschuhe“, die ebenfalls aus Kindersicht, dieses Mal aber aus der eines Jungen namens Horace, erzählt wird, dem verboten wird, seine neuen Handschuhe zu verschmutzen. Meine Lieblingsgeschichte ist aber wohl „Redner in Nöten“, mit der ich mich tatsächlich identifizieren kann, und die davon erzählt, welche Nöte ein Kind ausstehen muss, wenn es in der Schule etwas vortragen muss. „Natürlich war Jimmie nicht klar, dass man an diesem Tag die Weichen gestellt hatte für die unwiderrufliche Unfähigkeit öffentlich vorzutragen, die ihn bis zum Ende seiner Tage begleiten würde. (Pos. 367) – ich fürchte, bei mir ist das auch so ….
Aber auch alle anderen Geschichten haben mich auf ihre jeweils eigene Art berührt, sie alle sind absolut lesenswert. Stephen Cranes Geschichten sind nichts für zwischendurch, dafür sind sie tatsächlich auch zu schade. Man sollte sich Zeit nehmen und aufmerksam lesen, damit sie ihr ganzes Potential entfalten können. Was hätte dieser junge Mann wohl noch geschrieben, hätte er länger leben dürfen? Was für ein Verlust. Aber immerhin hat er ein vielfältiges Werk hinterlassen, ich freue mich darauf, weiteres aus seiner Feder lesen zu können.
Die Geschichten sind alle über hundert Jahre alt, Stephen Crane verstarb bereits im Jahr 1900 im Alter von 28 Jahren. So muss man diese auch im Kontext ihrer Zeit lesen, in den Hinweisen zur Übersetzung wird darauf hingewiesen, dass so originalgetreu wie machbar übersetzt wurde, auch wenn manche Begriffe heute anders besetzt sind: „Die Erhaltung der Begriffe ist notwendig, gerade für ein umfassendes Verständnis des zeitlichen Kontextes, und um der Leserschaft eine eigene Einschätzung der seinerzeit herrschenden Verhältnisse zu ermöglichen“ (Pos. 31). Dies kommt vor allem auch in „Das Monster“ zum Tragen.
Stephen Crane ist ein Ausnahmetalent, dessen Werke man gelesen haben sollte. Er erzählt aus dem Leben gegriffen, anschaulich, eindringlich und berührend. Seine Geschichten wirken lange nach.
Erst im letzten Jahr las ich die Kurzgeschichtensammlung „Die tristen Tage von Coney Island“ mit weiteren Werken von ihm, und war schnell begeistert. Stephen Crane erzählt wie aus dem Leben gegriffen, sehr anschaulich und packend, man erkennt auch manches wieder, auch wenn zwischen den Erzählungen und heute über hundert Jahre liegen. So konnte ich z. B. gerade in den Geschichten aus kindlicher Perspektive (dazu später mehr) etwas wiederfinden.
Die titelgebende Geschichte „Das Monster“ ist die mit Abstand längste, schon fast ein Kurzroman. Es geht um den dunkelhäutigen Henry Johnson, der bei der Arztfamilie Trescott in Stellung ist. Als ein Brand ausbricht, rettet er Jimmie, dem Sohn des Hauses, das Leben, trägt aber selbst schwere Brandwunden, vor allem im Gesicht davon, und wird fortan von der Bevölkerung als Monster bezeichnet und gemieden, letztlich wirkt sein Dasein sich sogar negativ auf das Renommee seines Dienstherren aus. Mich hat diese Geschichte sehr berührt, aber auch bedrückt.
Die Trescotts, vor allem Jimmie kommen auch in weiteren Geschichten vor, diese werden aus Jimmies Perspektive erzählt, und man hat sofort den Eindruck, dass Crane sich noch gut an seine Kindheit erinnert. Diese Geschichten fand ich am eindrucksvollsten, zuzüglich der ersten „Neue Handschuhe“, die ebenfalls aus Kindersicht, dieses Mal aber aus der eines Jungen namens Horace, erzählt wird, dem verboten wird, seine neuen Handschuhe zu verschmutzen. Meine Lieblingsgeschichte ist aber wohl „Redner in Nöten“, mit der ich mich tatsächlich identifizieren kann, und die davon erzählt, welche Nöte ein Kind ausstehen muss, wenn es in der Schule etwas vortragen muss. „Natürlich war Jimmie nicht klar, dass man an diesem Tag die Weichen gestellt hatte für die unwiderrufliche Unfähigkeit öffentlich vorzutragen, die ihn bis zum Ende seiner Tage begleiten würde. (Pos. 367) – ich fürchte, bei mir ist das auch so ….
Aber auch alle anderen Geschichten haben mich auf ihre jeweils eigene Art berührt, sie alle sind absolut lesenswert. Stephen Cranes Geschichten sind nichts für zwischendurch, dafür sind sie tatsächlich auch zu schade. Man sollte sich Zeit nehmen und aufmerksam lesen, damit sie ihr ganzes Potential entfalten können. Was hätte dieser junge Mann wohl noch geschrieben, hätte er länger leben dürfen? Was für ein Verlust. Aber immerhin hat er ein vielfältiges Werk hinterlassen, ich freue mich darauf, weiteres aus seiner Feder lesen zu können.
Die Geschichten sind alle über hundert Jahre alt, Stephen Crane verstarb bereits im Jahr 1900 im Alter von 28 Jahren. So muss man diese auch im Kontext ihrer Zeit lesen, in den Hinweisen zur Übersetzung wird darauf hingewiesen, dass so originalgetreu wie machbar übersetzt wurde, auch wenn manche Begriffe heute anders besetzt sind: „Die Erhaltung der Begriffe ist notwendig, gerade für ein umfassendes Verständnis des zeitlichen Kontextes, und um der Leserschaft eine eigene Einschätzung der seinerzeit herrschenden Verhältnisse zu ermöglichen“ (Pos. 31). Dies kommt vor allem auch in „Das Monster“ zum Tragen.
Stephen Crane ist ein Ausnahmetalent, dessen Werke man gelesen haben sollte. Er erzählt aus dem Leben gegriffen, anschaulich, eindringlich und berührend. Seine Geschichten wirken lange nach.
September 1, 2015
Whenever I need to feed illiterate, I read stories from the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. I'd like to think that earlier writers just really liked their thesauri, or maybe in the past people just really liked those Improve Your Vocabulary quizzes, but still, my goodness are there a lot of words I don't know.
The Monster and Other Stories, fitting into that last nineteenth/early twentieth century category has words I don't know. It has the word dude used in a non-surfer way. It has some insidious racism that was probably actually considered as progressive non-racist at the time. It has three stories, one of which I completely forgot after reading it (The Blue Hotel) and I had to open up my kobo last night because I couldn't for the life of me remember what it was. It's a somewhat odd choice for the sandwich filling of this trio of stories. The first (The Monster) and the last (His New Mittens) are set in the same town, are about family, are about children and adults and family and expectations, while The Blue Hotel is all men, all adults, in a hotel out on the plain (Nebraska I think. I suppose I could look it up.). All three stories are like whirlpools though, or tornadoes, or something that spins and spins: we start in close and expand out, more and more people entering the narrative, then spiral back in. It's the natural way that Crane does this, this spiraling, that makes these stories. The initial and final simplicity of them is deceptive; there is a lot happening in each one (even the one I forgot).
But it is a bit dated. And it's very American in that way that it can't seem to envisage anything but what's important here being important. And it took me forever to read the eighty-six pages. But then I got to say Mineola a bunch of times though, since that's where Dover, the publisher, is located. Mineola. Min-eeeeeeeeeeeeeee-ola. Mini-OH-la. It seems like the name of a place where a Stephen Crane story should be located.
I will try to steal Stephen Crane's spiraling out for my own stories. A good piece of writing to help me improve my own.
The Monster and Other Stories by Stephen Crane went on sale February 18, 2015.
I received a copy free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Monster and Other Stories, fitting into that last nineteenth/early twentieth century category has words I don't know. It has the word dude used in a non-surfer way. It has some insidious racism that was probably actually considered as progressive non-racist at the time. It has three stories, one of which I completely forgot after reading it (The Blue Hotel) and I had to open up my kobo last night because I couldn't for the life of me remember what it was. It's a somewhat odd choice for the sandwich filling of this trio of stories. The first (The Monster) and the last (His New Mittens) are set in the same town, are about family, are about children and adults and family and expectations, while The Blue Hotel is all men, all adults, in a hotel out on the plain (Nebraska I think. I suppose I could look it up.). All three stories are like whirlpools though, or tornadoes, or something that spins and spins: we start in close and expand out, more and more people entering the narrative, then spiral back in. It's the natural way that Crane does this, this spiraling, that makes these stories. The initial and final simplicity of them is deceptive; there is a lot happening in each one (even the one I forgot).
But it is a bit dated. And it's very American in that way that it can't seem to envisage anything but what's important here being important. And it took me forever to read the eighty-six pages. But then I got to say Mineola a bunch of times though, since that's where Dover, the publisher, is located. Mineola. Min-eeeeeeeeeeeeeee-ola. Mini-OH-la. It seems like the name of a place where a Stephen Crane story should be located.
I will try to steal Stephen Crane's spiraling out for my own stories. A good piece of writing to help me improve my own.
The Monster and Other Stories by Stephen Crane went on sale February 18, 2015.
I received a copy free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2016
Neste livro são-nos colocadas três questões perturbadoras em três diferentes contos:
O Monstro:
Será que os nossos preconceitos e conflitos interiores são mais assustadores que um ser desfigurado?
Este conto fala-nos sobre um rapaz que fica preso pelas garras de um incêndio e é salvo pelo empregado da casa. Este fica desfigurado ao ponto de nem os seus conhecidos olharem novamente para ele como um homem, mas sim como um monstro.
O que é de esperar do ser humano, e ai é que está a experiência social aplicada por Stephen Crane, é que este mostre medo e repulsa ao invés de carinho e agradecimento pela pessoa que salvou a criança.
O humano é dotado de muitos dons e feitos mas a sua consciência deixa-se facilmente levar pelo senso comum.
O hotel azul:
Este posso dizer que foi o meu conto favorito. A pergunta que se faz aqui é: será que cada um de nos como ser individual tem Influência sobre o destino dos outros?
Esta história incide num homem, aparentemente transtornado e cansado, que decide arranjar aparato entre as pessoas que se encontravam no hotel azul. Ao final de algum tempo desenrola-se uma violenta luta entre este homem e Jimmy. O que acontece a seguir é de notar que teve influência direta da presença do desconhecido que entrara no hotel.
Depois deste primeiro acontecimento desenrola-se outro que nos faz finalmente tirar as próprias conclusões onde o autor quer chegar com este pequeno conto. Fica então com vocês se estiverem curiosos, dar uma vista de olhos ao livro :)
O ultimo conto para mim foi o que menos gostei mas não menos perturbador, pois é uma questão pela qual todos nós enquanto crianças nos devíamos ter apercebido:
O ato de fugir de casa para evitar os problemas com os pais e obtermos liberdade é mais importante que o afeto que estes nos podem dar?
Bem.. Este é o meu ver destes três deslumbrantes contos de Stephen Crane. Desafio-vos a vocês meus amigos leitores a lerem estas histórias e a partilharem os vossos sentimentos por elas.
Comprei o livro na feira do Porto a 2 euros. Foi a melhor compra que fiz este ano.
boas leituras!
O Monstro:
Será que os nossos preconceitos e conflitos interiores são mais assustadores que um ser desfigurado?
Este conto fala-nos sobre um rapaz que fica preso pelas garras de um incêndio e é salvo pelo empregado da casa. Este fica desfigurado ao ponto de nem os seus conhecidos olharem novamente para ele como um homem, mas sim como um monstro.
O que é de esperar do ser humano, e ai é que está a experiência social aplicada por Stephen Crane, é que este mostre medo e repulsa ao invés de carinho e agradecimento pela pessoa que salvou a criança.
O humano é dotado de muitos dons e feitos mas a sua consciência deixa-se facilmente levar pelo senso comum.
O hotel azul:
Este posso dizer que foi o meu conto favorito. A pergunta que se faz aqui é: será que cada um de nos como ser individual tem Influência sobre o destino dos outros?
Esta história incide num homem, aparentemente transtornado e cansado, que decide arranjar aparato entre as pessoas que se encontravam no hotel azul. Ao final de algum tempo desenrola-se uma violenta luta entre este homem e Jimmy. O que acontece a seguir é de notar que teve influência direta da presença do desconhecido que entrara no hotel.
Depois deste primeiro acontecimento desenrola-se outro que nos faz finalmente tirar as próprias conclusões onde o autor quer chegar com este pequeno conto. Fica então com vocês se estiverem curiosos, dar uma vista de olhos ao livro :)
O ultimo conto para mim foi o que menos gostei mas não menos perturbador, pois é uma questão pela qual todos nós enquanto crianças nos devíamos ter apercebido:
O ato de fugir de casa para evitar os problemas com os pais e obtermos liberdade é mais importante que o afeto que estes nos podem dar?
Bem.. Este é o meu ver destes três deslumbrantes contos de Stephen Crane. Desafio-vos a vocês meus amigos leitores a lerem estas histórias e a partilharem os vossos sentimentos por elas.
Comprei o livro na feira do Porto a 2 euros. Foi a melhor compra que fiz este ano.
boas leituras!
March 10, 2023
In diesem Sammelband finden sich verschiedene Kurzgeschichten, die 1898 von Stephen Crane geschrieben wurden. Das Buch umfasst die Kurzgeschichten »Neue Handschuhe«, »Redner in Nöten«, »Ein trauriges altes Haus«, »Purer Zufall«, »Zwölf Uhr«, »Ein Hirngespinst in Rot und Weiß«, »Mondlicht auf dem Schnee«, »Das Duell, das nie stattfand«, »Das Monster«, »Das kleine Regiment«, »Der kleine Engel« und »Das kleine Biest«
Ich kannte den Autor vorher nicht, wollte aber unbedingt einmal etwas "Klassischeres" aus einem anderen Jahrhundert lesen und sehen, ob ich mit dem Schreibstil und den Geschichten überhaupt zurecht komme. Natürlich ist der Schreibstil etwas sehr besonderes und wohl nicht mit den heutigen zu vergleichen. Man muss sich auf den Schreibstil und die Geschichten einlassen und ich brauchte auch nach jeder Kurzgeschichte immer etwas Pause und Zeit über das Gelesene nachzudenken, denn die Geschichten sind schon fordernd und nichts für mal eben zwischendurch.
Ganz besondes ist die Geschichte "Das Monster", die über einen schwarzen Stallknecht erzählt, der bei einem Feuerausbruch einen Jungen rettet, dabei aber selbst entstellt wird. Eine sehr fesselnde Handlung, die noch länger nachhallen wird. Aber auch die anderen Geschichten fand ich sehr lesenswert, besonders und atmosphärisch.
Fazit: Auf den Schreibstil und die Geschichten aus dem 19. Jahrhundert muss man sich einlassen können, da sie den Leser schon fordern. Interessierten empfehle ich diesen schönen Sammelband sehr gerne weiter.
Ich kannte den Autor vorher nicht, wollte aber unbedingt einmal etwas "Klassischeres" aus einem anderen Jahrhundert lesen und sehen, ob ich mit dem Schreibstil und den Geschichten überhaupt zurecht komme. Natürlich ist der Schreibstil etwas sehr besonderes und wohl nicht mit den heutigen zu vergleichen. Man muss sich auf den Schreibstil und die Geschichten einlassen und ich brauchte auch nach jeder Kurzgeschichte immer etwas Pause und Zeit über das Gelesene nachzudenken, denn die Geschichten sind schon fordernd und nichts für mal eben zwischendurch.
Ganz besondes ist die Geschichte "Das Monster", die über einen schwarzen Stallknecht erzählt, der bei einem Feuerausbruch einen Jungen rettet, dabei aber selbst entstellt wird. Eine sehr fesselnde Handlung, die noch länger nachhallen wird. Aber auch die anderen Geschichten fand ich sehr lesenswert, besonders und atmosphärisch.
Fazit: Auf den Schreibstil und die Geschichten aus dem 19. Jahrhundert muss man sich einlassen können, da sie den Leser schon fordern. Interessierten empfehle ich diesen schönen Sammelband sehr gerne weiter.
May 18, 2016
Three stories. I read recently an article that called The Monster something like Crane's masterpiece. It is a terrific story, an excellent portrayal of some events in a smallish town, looking at the effects of a disastrous fire. Crane goes against the expectations he builds as to what the story is to be about; early in the story he follows a couple characters, but the focus drifts as the story develops, and you see he's after something totally different. He later wrote a book of stories about this small town, Whilomville. The ending at first seemed a tad disappointing, but it's very haunting.
The second story, The Blue Hotel, is also very gripping, and once again you think the story is going to follow one arc, but it goes in a different direction. It's another excellent story. The final one, His New Mittens, isn't quite so memorable, but in it as in all the stories, his characterization are keen and the story goes against your expectations.
These are the of Crane I've read in many years, and they were well worth it. Just have to say thanks to all those who transcribed the stories and made them available in the public domain. You can get this book, and many others, for Kindle or iBooks free.
The second story, The Blue Hotel, is also very gripping, and once again you think the story is going to follow one arc, but it goes in a different direction. It's another excellent story. The final one, His New Mittens, isn't quite so memorable, but in it as in all the stories, his characterization are keen and the story goes against your expectations.
These are the of Crane I've read in many years, and they were well worth it. Just have to say thanks to all those who transcribed the stories and made them available in the public domain. You can get this book, and many others, for Kindle or iBooks free.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2011
Word by word, Stephen Crane is becoming one of my favorite writers. He has a knack for rendering in just the right syntax and diction just the right detail, and in doing so lodging deep in the reader’s mind the images he conjures as well as big-picture sentiments at the heart of being human. He does so skillfully without being overt. And here all these years I had thought of Crane as the guy who wrote The Red Badge of Courage which a lot people had to read in junior high school.
October 16, 2012
Stephen Crane is a mixture of Stephen Leacock and Edgar Allen Poe - small town life with a dark side. His story The Monster is surprising as it develops from a whimsical portrayal of whimsical small town life into a sinister tale which reveals the dark side of human nature. The best of all is that it has a CBC ending. For you non-Canadians that means you get to the end of the story and you say, "What? That's the ending? What kind of an ending is that?"
February 9, 2015
Uma boa descoberta nas promoções e nos descontos. A escrita é fluída e agarra-nos desde o primeiro momento. Os contos estão carregados de significados e de portas que estão à espera da serem abertas para nos confrontarmos com alguns dos nossos medos. O ambiente das histórias é de início de século nos Estados Unidos e conseguem-se cheirar as tensões raciais e de classes da sociedade da época.
Recomendo.
Recomendo.
February 8, 2017
I received a free kindle copy of The Monster and Other Stories by Stephen Crane, published by Dover Publishing from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
I gave this book of stories five stars. It's a classic. The Monster is the primary story & has dated language & social mores, but still stands the test of time. For a dose of mild horror, I recommend it.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Other-S...
I gave this book of stories five stars. It's a classic. The Monster is the primary story & has dated language & social mores, but still stands the test of time. For a dose of mild horror, I recommend it.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Other-S...
July 31, 2008
More than Red Badge of Courage, The Monster is my favorite Crane novel/novella. It is unfortunately not as well known as either Red Badge or Maggie (the inferior of the three). NOT horror, but it does discuss cruelty and segregation in ways that few other authors were doing in the late 1800's. If you are interested in Crane's works besides Red Badge, this is the book you should pick up.
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