“The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky”

The main purpose of this report is to analyse a short story entitled “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky which is written by Stephen Crane (1871-1900). This short story will be analysed in terms of structure, setting, character, point of view, style, tone, myth, symbol or allegory.

Theme

In this story, a common theme has been developed by the author which is “The manliness of the Old West is giving opportunities to the feminine side of the East. The author has supported this theme with his depiction of events which happens on the train. The frontier setting of the story is significant to its theme, which focus on conflict among the East and West and the passing of a certain period. Whilst Yellow Sky is located in western Texas, it can be accessed through the use of train which acts as a vehicle to bring eastern civilisation to the West. Moreover, Yellow Sky is considered to be refined, despite of its outdated presence of Scratchy Wilson who seems to be firm to preserve the good old days. However, Scratchy’s clothes prevails the extent to which even he has been influenced by the Eastern civilization.

Plot

The story focus on the effort of a town marshal to bring his bride to the frontier town of Yellow Sky Texas during he period when the Old West is being gradually but predictably civilized. At the climax of "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky", the stereotypical and outwardly usual gunfight, an attached feature of Westerns is prevented and it can be sensed that all such gunfights can be considered as a thing of the past which is described by the author as the end of an era.

"The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" is a story which also tackles the interaction of man with the environment. For example, the wife of Jack is not regarded as an individualized person with a name. Jack’s wife is essential only because she symbolize marriage as a civilized society. In the first part of the story, the author depicts the progress and growth of the “Great Pullman” train across the states. With the sumptuous appointments, the train is noted to be a foreign nation to the newly wedded couple, whom the author described as self-conscious aliens. Herein, the hands of Jack execute a most aware fashion and his wife is self-conscious by her puff sleeves. The newlyweds are so uncomfortable with their environments that the black porter intimidates them.

As the train comes closer to the Yellow Sky, Jack felt the he is tired because he knew that he has been engaged in an extraordinary crime by ignoring his friends and socialised with others. It is noted that marshals in the frontier of towns are not allowed to get married because they have a duty to fulfil in the outside environment. And since Jack knew his mistakes, they decided to sneak away from the train and walk as quickly as they could to be home. While the couple is heading towards their house, the author cuts to the saloon in which six men which includes the Eastern drummer are drinking at the bar when suddenly another man entered the Weary Gentleman saloon to say that Scratchy Wilson is drunk.

Scratchy Wilson appeared in the third part of the story, which broadens the preparation for the gunfight. Herein, Scratchy has been all over town to challenge every individual. In the last part, Jack and his wife encountered the Scratchy. Scratchy challenged Jack, but the latter told him that he has no gun and that he is just married. And since Scratchy has not been able to deal with this situation he just walked away and leaves the couple behind.

Character

JACK POTTER, the marshal in Yellow Sky- Individual character

JACK’S WIFE- individual character

SCRATCHY WILSON, the last surviving member of a gang of outlaws- Developing and Static

A "DRUMMER" (salesman) from the East- static

Setting

Time: 1900

Place: Yellow Sky, Texas

Social Conditions: The society is divided to civilized and uncivilized.

Mood or Atmosphere: Bright, cheerful and at the same time frightening

Point of View

The point of view of “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky” is considered as Omniscient. Since the author narrates the story in third person.

Style

In the story the author used a concrete language, sometimes figurative and informal. The author has been able to write a story which uses short sentences. The figure of speech used in this story is metaphor, since the author provides comparison of the Old West and the new era of the Yellow Sky. Crane also used conversation technique to advance the action of the story. The author used words that is easy to understand so that the reader and comprehend better as the story continues. It shows that in the train the gap between sensitivity and reality is apparent. In “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky”, illusions and reality is also perceived. In the story, the mock-heroic manner is personified in the reaction of the bride in their encounter with Scratchy. Herein, the author elevates the meeting of Jack and his wife with Scratchy into myth. In which the evil force is Scratchy Wilson and Jack and his wife are the innocent victim.

In the story “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky”, part of the inequality of the illusion and reality of man is described in the death imagery which encompasses the story. In this regard, the author identifies Jack as one announcing death as Wilson walks the streets. Through the use of this figurative type, the author led the story to its anticlimactic scene as Wilson walks away at the end of his story; it signifies the new era that comes in Yellow Sky which replaces the Old West.