Integrite Spring 2013

Eckel & Eckel 39 and J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye follow the antinomian—anti-authority— perspectives in Crane. Camus’ ethic-less life view in novels could not stand real life injustice during World War I. He spoke out against inhuman situations before the United Nations. Jack Kerouac, highly touted as a restless wanderer, ended up back at his mom’s house when needs and rest beckoned. In Salinger’s work, Holden Caulfield exhibits the same hypocrisies he castigates others for. The Red Badge of Courage and all likeminded followers leave a void of authority. The emptiness of Crane’s viewpoint is exposed by objectivity, Truth, creation, and reality.

Objectivity and Impressionism Some would argue that the so-called “impressionism” was simply a method of communication. However, method and meaning are kissing cousins.

A book’s perspective comes out of a point of view, an assumption about life. The audience is consistently given one individual’s sightline in the book. Problems arise, however, when history is interpreted only through one set of eyes. Crane’s dependence on the “seeing” metaphor throughout the novel—possibly 200 references—limits the reader to presentism: The past does not matter, and the future is simply dumb luck. Subjectivity is limited to someone’s impression; objectivity is Another’s limitless standard.

Truth and Experience Experience may witness truth, but truth does not depend on experience.

Henry’s own words demonstrate the ineffectual foundation of experience: “It became impossible for him to invent a tale he felt he could trust” (Red Badge 128). The quotation shows that human creativity is limited. “Questionings [made] holes in his feelings” (151), which have the ephemeral nature of fog.

What the reader can be sure of is the testimony of R.G. Vosburgh who recorded that “[w]hen he was not working he would sit writing his name Stephen Crane, Stephen Crane” (36). Ego secure, Truth was not. Truth cannot come out of midair. Truth needs a transcendent, immutable source outside of human experience.

Creation and Reality People cannot live with the result of their anti-creational beliefs. A Christian vantage point sees a Creator-creation distinction. The separation of first from second means our ultimate concern is “[f]ear Him who can kill both body and soul” (Matt 10:28). For the unbeliever, emotional fear of the physical world is the only other option. Crane’s viewpoint depends on “under the sun” assumptions.1 If there is no God, creation is indeed unfettered, untethered, anchorless in the sea Crane so imagined would subsume him.