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Maggie

Crane’s Maggie: A Girl of the Streets figures out as a voice of opposition to the common stereotype of “fallen woman” in the past century. During Crane’s time, the narrative of a woman’s downward fall from the highest rank of respectability to the lows of degradation became established. The woman fell owing to her moral bankruptcy and lust. She would get drawn out of her family and get wooed by an immoral man. At this instant, the man would put her aside and leave her to give for herself. Without support from her earlier husband, and unable to return to her matrimonial home because of the disgrace she cast upon her family, she would have no option but to walk in the streets for the rest of her life (Crane).

Crane write to illustrate this stereotype by not showcasing a more sympathetic story, but also depicts a story that makes the reader see how the original stereotype developed. Maggie story suits expectation of the painted cohorts. As people see her from the inside showcased in the novella, however, people see that the circumstances leading to her death are far from people’s expectations. She is a longing to improve her state however possible but not her lust.

Crane’s book paints a picture of prostitution as something that resulted from the downward spiral of women. The story can be likened to a prostitute’s account of her story illustrated as a step-by-step process. First, she talks about the sinful relationship with an evil man. Maggie enters into a relationship with Pete. The relationship turns and she finally engages in something else. This is a clear sign of the fallen woman.

Crane makes distinction between reality and stereotype which lies in the motivation for the relationship. Maggie is painted as one aspiring to pull herself out of the scourge of poverty in every possible means. As she contemplates her relationship with Pete, she believes that Pete’s occupation brought him contact with people who had manners and money. Maggie says that one man had great sums of money to spend. According to this, it is clear that Maggie’s interest on Pete originates from her perception of Pete as a chance to go up the socioeconomic order. It makes sense, eventually, that one who undergoes darkening chaos and gruesome doorways would look for ways to make her conditions better through any necessary means, even if it entails engagement in evil relationship. Because of the conditions of labor, there seemed to be no ways for Maggie to get out of poverty other than Pete (crane).

Although some people might see Maggie to have taken Pete as a lover because of her to her bankruptcy, Crane shows his followers that this is a fallacy. One remarkable thing about Maggie is that the book’s failure to blame her does not imply that her mistakes are forgiven. Her failings are showcased here as social forces that lead to her downturn and death. Maggie’s romantic nature conceals her ability to clearly see the world and is to blame for her downfall as the forces of reality. The novel portrays sympathy to humanity of its characters, with exception of Mary. It acknowledges that these people hardened and brutalized and victimized by social forces outside their control.

Works cited

Crane, Stephen. Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. Boston: MobileReference.com, 2010. Internet resource.

Crane, Stephen. Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. NSW, Austrialia: Objective Systems, 2006. Print.