“Maggie, A Girl of the Streets” by Stephen Crane is an illustration of the morals and views of innocence in the early 1900’s. The story chases the young and innocent Maggie into a life of sinfulness. The opinions of all of those around her change during her growth, and express the ideals of life during that time. Innocence is defined as freedom from sin, wrong, or guilt. (Barnhart 413) Many people value innocence as a very respectable virtue to have. The poeple around Maggie in this story have an opinion close to this. Maggie begins her life with little sin, but as she grows older, this ideal begins to weaken. Maggie’s relationship with Pete is esentially what begins and pushes her along this path to indecency.
Pete is her brother’s friend, whom she has liked for many years. He carries with him an air of superiority, and Maggie looks up to his higher social status. Maggie is incredibly happy when Pete finally asks her out. However, at the end of the date, when he asks for a kiss, she refuses. (Crane 25) This refusal shows Maggie’s naive nature and how, at this point she is still maintaining her innocence. From here on, however, it is all downhill for Maggie and her innocence. Her change in attitude and demeanor, caused by Pete, affects many people.
The way Pete took her out and introduced her to a life of drinking and going out every night, a life of wealthier society than the people around her had, bothered many people. Her brother becomes jealous and shows up at Pete’s pub and starts to fight. (Crane 39-41) jimmie, Maggie’s brother, believes that Pete has betrayed their friendship and that Pete has ruined his sister. After she met Pete, Maggie also pulled away from her family and stopped living with them. She would very rarely come home. Maggie’s mother is also affected by Maggie’s changes such as these. Although a drunkard before, Maggie’s mother begins to blame her drunkenness and the trouble she gets into because of Maggie’s newfound lifestyle.
The Essay on September Eleventh Life World People
A Day to Remember I awoke the morning of September eleventh like any other day. Comfortably lying in my bed, warm and snug. I was dreaming and at total peace, oblivious to the world around me. Suddenly, I sprang up to the blaring sound of my pulsating alarm clock. The sun was up and shining into my bedroom window. I got up, looked around, and observed the horizon with a disgruntled look on my ...
(Crane 46) Maggie’s mother resents her for most of the story, often resulting in fights between the two. As her mother states, “she’s gone the d’devil.” (Crane 34) In the end, Maggie’s mother forgives her, but it is only after Maggie has died. (Crane 64-65) Innocence takes many different shapes in this story. Pure, chaste, guiltless, naive, and virtuous are all words that could have been used to describe Maggie before her encounters with Pete. These qualities are all looked upon as admirable by those who are around her. It is a miracle that Maggie had these traits to begin with.
Although Pete did “ruin” her, her home life played another part in her changing. Because her mother was a drunk, Maggie felt worthless and unneeded. She also was bothered by her poverty. She longed for a life of wealth, which Pete offered. Maggie believes she changed for the better, she is living the life she had always wanted to live. Other people, on the other hand, look down upon Maggie because of this. This is most apparent when Maggie and her mother have another argument about her and Pete.
The neighbors from around their apartment come out into the hall and stare, but no one will come close because they do not want to be corrupted by this “evil” child. (Crane 54)
Bibliography:
Barnhart, Clarence L. Thorndike-Barnhart Comprehensive Desk Dictionary. Chicago: Scott Foresman and Company, 1953. Crane, Stephen “maggie a Girl of the Street” New York: Washington Square Press, 1972..
