The Physical and Social Setting of Stephen Crane's The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of Choosing the Topic

Stephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism. He is recognized by modern critics as one of the most innovative writers of his generation.

Crane was born on November 1, 1871. He began writing at the age of four and had published several articles by the age of 16. Having little interest in university studies, he left school in 1891 and began work as a reporter and writer. Crane's first novel was the 1893 Bowery tale Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, which critics generally consider the first work of American literary Naturalism. He won international acclaim for his 1895 Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage, which he wrote without any battle experience.

Crane died of tuberculosis in a Black Forest sanatorium at the age of 28. At the time of his death, Crane had become an important figure in American literature. He was nearly forgotten, however, until two decades later when critics revived interest in his life and work. Stylistically, Crane's writing is characterized by vivid intensity, distinctive dialects, and irony. Common themes involve fear, spiritual crises and social isolation. Although recognized primarily for The Red Badge of Courage, which has become an American classic, Crane is also known for short stories such as "The Open Boat", "The Blue Hotel", "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky", and The Monster. His writing made a deep impression on 20th century writers, most prominent among them Ernest Hemingway, and is thought to have inspired the Modernists and the Imagists.

Due to the explanations above, the writer conducts analysis on Crane’s The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky in physical and social setting in this short story.

1.2  Objective of the study

The primary objective of this analysis is the physical and social setting of the Yellow Sky people in Crane’s The Bride Comes to Yellow.  The objectives of this study are to dig out the more information about the physical and social setting of the Yellow Sky through literary work of Stephen Crane and to explore the aspect which influences the life of people in this literary work.

1.3  Statement of Problem

Based on the previous background of the choosing the topic, the statement of problem can be formulated as follows how are the physical and social setting of Yellow Sky as the main place of the Bride Comes to Yellow Sky in Crane’s masterpiece?

1.4  Scope of the Study

This paper is devoted to the physical and social setting of the Yellow Sky which explicitly was showed by Stephen Crane’s The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky . This paper will analyze the physical and social setting from geographical location, time, occupations, religious, moral, intellectual, social, and emotional environment which were depicted in Crane’s The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky. Through these aspects, it will expose the elements of setting. 

1.5  Theoretical Approach

The study is attempting to explicate physical and social setting in the Crane’s masterpiece The Bride Comes to Yellow, since; the writer applies the sociological and cultural approach. It is applied as the efforts for the writer to consider a society and the geographic where the literary work created, which are Yellow Sky people. The interconnection of literary work and the social reality created the sociological and cultural approach for literature. This idea was supported by Marx’s assumption which reversed that the ’superstructure’ (ideology, politics) rest upon the ‘base’ (socio-economic relation). To say ‘rest upon’ is not quite the same as saying ‘is caused by’. Marx was arguing that what we call culture is not an independent reality but is inseparable from the historical conditions in which human beings create their material lives; the relations of dominance and subordination (exploitation) which govern the social and economic order of a particular phase of human history will in some sense ‘determine’ (not ‘cause’) the whole cultural life of the society (1985; 24).   

Literature is the one of important ways to circulate the idea of the culture. Marx said that the public who are divided into classes is the internal contradiction occurred.

The sociological and cultural approach has some links to connect the elements of setting in order to classify and definite the role and the main information that setting has to influence the social and culture in particular place. The social dimension focuses on the culture and the study of the research.

The element of setting it self has their own goal in spite of the contrast study such as politic and ideology. In addition, the sociological and cultural approach uses the language that can unify the element in order to create the fit setting of the theme. It uses indirect language in exploring the ideas in literary work, as Crane in The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky, he used the varieties of the setting itself to definite and explain vividly. Setting can be one of ways for the author to describe the condition and situation that has occurred in that particular place.

1.6  Method of the Study

This study is classified to the library research; it focuses on the content of the tale which is supportive and crucial to the topic as the primary data sources. And some data sources such as literature, history, criticism and electric internet data which are relevant to the topic of the study as secondary sources. To analyze the collected data, the writer uses the descriptive analysis method since it tries to give the better understanding and explanation about the literary work.

CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

2.1 The Physical Setting of the Literary Work

            The setting is realistic. The realistic setting tries to recreate the specific location or information. The physical setting refers to something physically. The author’s choice for the physical setting is very important due to the effect for the story itself. Therefore, the physical setting is categorized into four categories.

            The first category is place or actual geographical location. According to the story, it takes three places as the story is divided into three scenes. The first place is in the train, it is namely The California Express. It is built with a good architecture and motive.

The great pullman was whirling onward with such dignity of motion that a glance from the window seemed simply to prove that the plains of Texas were pouring eastward.

The second place is in the bar of the “Weary Gentleman”. It is a kind of saloon in the Yellow Sky. And the last place is in front of Jack’s house. It takes place when the main characters meet each other in sudden.

            The second category is time in which the action takes place. Time could be the historical period or the season of the year. For the first scene in the story, when a newly married pair had boarded in the coach at San Antonio, the season is sunny. It is in the afternoon due to the fact that they will have a dinner in the restaurant after arriving in the destination. Furthermore, it was spring. It is showed in the opening paragraph

The great pullman was whirling onward with such dignity of motion that a glance from the window seemed simply to prove that the plains of Texas were pouring eastward. Vast flats of green grass, dull-hued spaces of mesquite and cactus, little groups of frame houses, woods of light and tender trees, all were sweeping into the east, sweeping over the horizon, a precipice.

The journey from California to Yellow Sky is only twenty-one minutes. In the second scene, it takes place in a bar. It is in the afternoon due to the fact that when the bride and bridegroom are in the train is in the afternoon and they do not take any longer to go to the Yellow Sky. Finally, the last section is in the night when the main characters meet each other in front of Jack’s house.

            The third category is the weather. The weather is wind and sunny. It smells good for doing the travelling as the bride and bridegroom do to Yellow Sky.

             

2. 2 The Social Setting of the Literary work

            The social setting refers to the environment of society. It is also called as spiritual setting. The social setting as the one of elements of setting has six categories in which relate to the social aspects it self. They are the occupation of the character, religious, moral, intelligence, social, and emotional environment. The variants of social setting will be enclosed in these following paragraphs.

            The first category is occupation. In the story had mentioned the occupation of the character. The first character is Jack Potter as the town marshal of Yellow Sky.

As a matter of truth, Jack Potter was beginning to find the shadow of a deed weigh upon him like a leaden slab. He, the town marshal of Yellow Sky, …

Unexpectedly, the author did not explain the occupation of Jack’s wife. The author just described the physical appearance of Jack’s wife as had told in the first scene. In addition, there is a negro porter who helped Jack and his wife to bring their bag to the car. Moreover, there were six men at the bar of the “Weary Gentleman” saloon. One was a drummer, three were Texans and two were Mexican sheep-herders. The barkeeper is the owner of the bar. Then, the old woman who came up with two scuttles of coal probably was the seller of the coal in the shop. And the last are Scratchy Wilson and the young man. Unlikely, the author did not explain the occupation on Scratchy and the young man.

            The second category is the religious of the character. The author did not explain the religious of the character. It can be proof with nothing to find the religious prayer on the story.  In short, the writer can not analyze the religious of the story as the one of elements in social setting.

            The forth category is morality of the character. The story shows the variants moral of the characters. For the Yellow Sky people, they actually have slightly different moral with other countries. They just hang out in bar like other country has. They keep in touch with other people. It appeared the good communication between people to others. On the other hand, there are two main characters namely Jack and Scratchy. They used to fight every time they met. The writer think that they have recent reason why they should do like action due to the fact that that attitude can influence to other people around them. Automatically, other people feel afraid and worried about it.

            The fifth category is intelligence. The story tells only one main character that has a high profession as a town marshal. It is different with his enemy, Scratchy who was always drunk everyday. He seemed did not have any ideas and clear occasion. He just looked for someone then offered them to fight with him.

The drummer's tale was interrupted by a young man who suddenly appeared in the open door. He cried: "Scratchy Wilson's drunk, and has turned loose with both hands." The two Mexicans at once set down their glasses and faded out of the rear entrance of the saloon.

   The drummer, innocent and jocular, answered: "All right, old man. S'pose he has. Come in and have a drink, anyhow."…

…The men laughed low and scornfully at the question.

   "He's out to shoot, and he's out for trouble. Don't see any good in experimentin' with him."

   "But what do you do in a case like this? What do you do?"

   A man responded: "Why, he and Jack Potter -- " …

            The sixth category is social and emotional environment. The social environment in the story begins from the train. The California Express contains many passengers. The passengers looked for a newly married pair in strange sight. Even though the bridegroom looked really glad, he could control the condition there in order to make his wife not feel shy.

The blushes caused by the careless scrutiny of some passengers as she had entered the car were strange to see upon this plain, under-class countenance, which was drawn in placid, almost emotionless lines.

They were in executive class train. It is showed by the condition of the train itself. The decoration in the ceiling’s train is beautiful.

…He had the pride of an owner. He pointed out to her the dazzling fittings of the coach, and in truth her eyes opened wider as she contemplated the sea-green figured velvet, the shining brass, silver, and glass, the wood that gleamed as darkly brilliant as the surface of a pool of oil. At one end a bronze figure sturdily held a support for a separated chamber, and at convenient places on the ceiling were frescoes in olive and silver.

From the paragraph below tells the surrounding which had passed by the train. It shows the simple condition of the environment. It is calm. There is no war, fight, or other noise conditions. Therefore, a negro porter is being respect to Jack and his wife. Moreover, there is something funny in this travelling. There are little passengers in the train. Actually, they are not having a broad knowledge. They did not use to go abroad or explore to another country.

To the minds of the pair, their surroundings reflected the glory of their marriage that morning in San Antonio. This was the environment of their new estate, and the man's face in particular beamed with an elation that made him appear ridiculous to the negro porter. This individual at times surveyed them from afar with an amused and superior grin.

When Jack and his wife arrived in the Yellow Sky, the social and emotional environment is different even though the distance to Yellow Sky grew shorter. Jack is a town marshal of Yellow Sky. He was a man known. Sometimes he was liked feared in his corner and a prominent person. Then, he will arrive to Yellow Sky with his Bride. As he knew well that his arrival was really important to the citizens. He had committed an extraordinary crime. Therefore, he escaped to San Antonio and meet with the lady as he called, his dear now.

Of course, people in Yellow Sky married as it pleased them, in accordance with a general custom; but such was Potter's thought of his duty to his friends, or of their idea of his duty, or of an unspoken form which does not control men in these matters, that he felt he was heinous. He had committed an extraordinary crime. Face to face with this girl in San Antonio, and spurred by his sharp impulse, he had gone headlong over all the social hedges. At San Antonio he was like a man hidden in the dark. A knife to sever any friendly duty, any form, was easy to his hand in that remote city. But the hour of Yellow Sky, the hour of daylight, was approaching.

   He knew full well that his marriage was an important thing to his town. It could only be exceeded by the burning of the new hotel. His friends could not forgive him.

Actually, the bride is curious with what has happened to her husband. Her husband looked worried about something but he was still smiling for her

The sudden meeting is between Jack and Scratchy. There is no offer to fight. Scratchy stood in deepest rage over the immobility of a house. The situation was getting silence for a while. Then, scratchy took the strategic position feverishly. He aimed the revolver at the bridegroom’s chest. Jack was stiffening and steadying. The situation was strained. Scratchy asked Jack to aim the gun. But jack did not get the gun. Jack said that if Scratchy wanted to shoot him, he could do it now. The situation was getting more confusing as the lady felt.  Finally, the condition changes totally when Jack said to Scratchy that he did not want to fight again. And they were supposed to off now.

   "I ain't got a gun because I've just come from San Anton' with my wife. I'm married," said Potter. "And if I'd thought there was going to be any galoots like you prowling around when I brought my wife home, I'd had a gun, and don't you forget it."

   "Married!" said Scratchy, not at all comprehending.

   "Yes, married. I'm married," said Potter distinctly.

   "Married?" said Scratchy. Seemingly for the first time he saw the drooping, drowning woman at the other man's side. "No!" he said. He was like a creature allowed a glimpse of another world. He moved a pace backward, and his arm with the revolver dropped to his side. "Is this the lady?" he asked.

   "Yes, this is the lady," answered Potter.

   There was another period of silence.

   "Well," said Wilson at last, slowly, "I s'pose it's all off now."

CHAPTER III

CONCLUSION

From the analysis conducted, it can be concluded that Crane has showed the element of setting in the story is relate to the social and culture at the particular place.  In every country, they have their own culture that can create the social interaction that affects to the citizens.

The setting of the events above is realistic due to the fact that the story tells the location clearly for the every event. The author wanted to emphasize the situation and the culture totally in every side of the place. When the writer analyzed thoroughly, actually it showed some proof which we can get some sociological interconnection between social and culture. They relates each other to create the new dimensions for people’s life.

BIBLIOGHRAPHY

Kenney, William. 1966. How to Analyze Fiction. The United States of America: Monarch Press.

Ryan, Michael. 2007. Literary Theory: A Practical Introduction. Malden, Oxford, and Carlton: Blackwell Publishing.

Selden, Raman. 1985. A reader’s Guide to Temporary Literary Theory. Great Britain:  The Harvester Press limited.