Analysis of a single element paper either the Open Boat or the bride Essay

Analysis of a single element paper either the Open Boat or the bride comes to yellow sky - Essay Example Indeed, the society of Yellow Sky is not patriarchal in a rigid sense; rather women or brides do not fit perfectly in the wilderness of that society where there is no guarantee of life and natural death. Therefore, men do not want to leave their wives as widows with several children. In this rough and tough society, Potter marries a woman in order to avoid conflicts and rivalries with Wilson and ultimately he becomes successful. But at the end, changes occur in his life as well as in the society of ‘Yellow Sky’. This paper will argue that though the bride is a minor character, she is the symbol of changes in the crude male culture of ‘Yellow Sky’. Indeed, Crane has successfully used different literary elements such as characterization, and ‘conflicts and contrasts’ in order to highlight the bride as a symbol of change. In the story, the anonymous bride is in contrast to the crude, male culture of the city, Yellow Sky. This crude male culture of the city is vividly evident in the story. Potter’s marriage is in a clear conflict with the people’s expectation of Yellow Sky. Here, people marries â€Å"as it please[s] them, in accordance with a general custom† (Crane 1). In this macho culture, taking a bride is a wonder. If the bridegroom is a famous marshal, the amazement of the city-dwellers can â€Å"only be exceeded by the burning of the new hotel† (Crane 1). Indeed, taking a bride is considered as a severe injury to one’s manliness. After marrying, Jack Potter is heavily perplexed with the prospect of the amazement of people. Prior to reaching the city, he is afraid of telling his friends, by telegraph, about his marriage. He is more afraid of meeting his townspeople as a married than to face his competitor, Scratchy Wilson. He plans to reach his house from the st ation quickly by any means in order to avoid meeting the people, as the narrator says: â€Å"He