Analysis On The Narrative Evolution From Naturalism To Modernism Through Stephen Crane's Novels

The twentieth century is full of the transformation. The literary views of Russian Formalism, British and American New Criticism, Structuralism, Deconstruction, Accepting Aesthetics... are used in writings. Naturalism, origin from Realism and evolve modernism, not only inherits characteristics the Realism, but gradually evolved the feature of Modernism integrating many modern art forms in one. Stephen Crane is the symbol of American literature to Modernism from naturalistic across literary masters. From his novel, it can reflect the narrative evolution from the naturalism to the modernism. That is, the narrative evolution from consciousness to introspection; the narrative views from traditional non-limited type to limited one and narrator's non-personalization; the transferring from typical to non-typical.The significance of Crane's works shows the breakthrough in the theme and the innovation in the style. Crane abandons the traditional syntax structure and the model of traditional plot arrangement—an overall global causality framework. Crane's works contain the narrative characteristics of naturalism—simplify the plot and the narrative self-consciousness, also contain the narrative features of the modernist fiction– anti-plot and stream of consciousness.The narrative methods is participating and permeating in the consciousness through narrator. The observer transfers his perspective, forming a limited perspective. It holds the tradition of the third person narration and the introspection of the modernism. It embodies the Stephen Crane's importance in the American literary history.The unique image in Crane's description and narrative shows plenty of vivid figures. He puts the context and style into almost one through his rich imagination and superb talent. The typical of war, the environmental image and the use of color, shadows, noise, line and mixed time narrative method shows the reader a near flawless works.