A Mystery of Heroism

by Stephen Crane

A Mystery of Heroism: Mood 1 key example

Definition of Mood

The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:

The mood of “A Mystery of Heroism” shifts between lighthearted and bleak. This is due to the fact that the narrator of the story is attuned to the absurdity and brutality of the battle taking place—waxing poetic for long passages about all of the death and destruction—while the protagonist Collins is, for most of the story, completely disconnected from the reality of the war. Rather than feeling fear or despair, he jokes around with his infantry friends and decides to take the completely unnecessary risk of crossing the battlefield in order to collect water from a well.