The Symbolic Naturalist of The Blue Hotel :: Blue Hotel Essays

The Symbolic Naturalist of The Blue Hotel This essay considers the perspective of James Trammell cox as presented in his essay An Analysis of the Blue Hotel Cox begins his essay by discussing naturalism and Cranes fictional style. He suggests that Cranes technique is that of the symbolist rather than the naturalist in that he carefully selects his details not as pieces of evidence in a one-dimensional report on man but as connotatively associated separate of an elaborately contrived symbolic structure. Basically the thrust of Coxs argument is centered around the degree to which Crane displays the characteristics of a naturalist writer. He comments on the enlargement of the story and how well Crane weaves in the details and underlying messages which give the story its subtle complexity. Much of Cranes hidden meaning is achieved through his manipulation of imagery. Cox focuses on this imagery and picks it apart, thus displaying themes that are fairly central to the ideas behind natu ralism. One of these ideas that is carried throughout the story behind the faade of imagery is the idea of mans home(a) nature as egocentric, as detailed by the contrast of the house to the storm in which the storm represents the fundamental conflict between man and his environment. Within the house, in the central room is the stove, which is referenced frequently and can be seen as mans inner nature that burns with elemental aggressions as the stove is described as sing with a godlike violence. Cox then addresses the idea of natural symbolism and Cranes use of color to represent feelings and emotions and thus subtly carry them through the story. The ii most central colors used are red and white, red as shown through the fire to symbolize anger, and white as shown through the hundred to show fear. Cox provides examples of this such as the Swede who throughout the story shows both extremes of emotion and at one point is described, upon the Swedes deathly pale cheeks were deuce s pots brightly crimson.