The romanticized image of the “Old West,” made popular through the adventure and danger of late nineteenth century dime novels as well as the sex appeal and grit of contemporary actors like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, is replicated through Crane’s Nebraskan town, Fort Romper. Complete with all the typical “wild-west” necessities - a saloon, a cowboy, a bar fight, and a poker game, Fort Romper embraces the clichéd societal image of uncivilized America; however, those who dwe

The “Blue Hotel,” or the centerpiece of the town, is described in the opening paragraph as “a light blue . . . shade that is on the legs of a kind of heron” (325). Crane’s comparison of the hotel’s hue to a heron, or a bird that acts as an overt representation of nature’s inherent peace and tranquility, leads the reader to believe that the hotel is a type of safe haven; and moreover, that the town acts as a harbor shielding its members from the danger and peril that one may face in other regions of the west. However, as Scully, the owner of the hotel, escorts the guests into his establishment for the evening, the author’s implementation of animal imagery quickly changes from serene to chilling.

In addition to the previously included examples of animal imagery in regards to the community, the true barbaric nature of the individuals in Fort Romper is also revealed by the Swede’s ability to “see things as they are” (Church 99). When the Swede attacks Johnnie with the following words, “You are cheatin’!” the room is immediately transformed into a battle ring, and the men into savage animals, fighting for survival and spurred by the blinding fury of masculine pride (339). As Johnnie and the Swede actually retreat into battle, the usage of animal imagery explodes and the two characters are stripped of all human-like traits, and become like soulless and vicious animals, violently struggling for power and status. “The two combatants [leap] forward and [crash] together . . . [and] there was heard the . . . sound of blows . . . out from between the tight teeth of one” (343). Like “bullocks” the two humans attacked each other until the “bloody, pulpy face of [Johnnie]” indicated victory on behalf of the Swede (344).

The three guests at the ho

Some topics in this essay:
Fort Romper, Johnnie Swede, West Eastern, Webster’s Collegiate, Johnnie Scully’s, Stephen Crane, Romper Complete, fort romper, church 99, , animal imagery, Clint Eastwood, Crane’s Nebraskan, townspeople fort romper, townspeople fort, blue hotel, western town, hotel stephen, barbaric nature, wild west, hotel stephen crane, blue hotel stephen, feaster 81,