This paper will explore Stephen Crane’s 1898 novella “The Monster” in a critical race approach. Inside this theme, there will be discussions based on alienation, class distinctions, race relations, racism, labeling, and especially the mob violence, a movement very popular among the population of the 1890s – a period of intense and horrifying racial violence, where many laws were created to prevent African Americans from integrating in society, the appearance of race labeling and the lynch. Also, it will incorporate passages from Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, trying to compare and contrast the role that alienation plays in both stories. I will also try to discuss criminality on my research, applying Becker’s (1963) labeling theory on all examples provided.
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
2. Racism, Monstrosity and Labeling: Crane’s The Monster and Shelley’s Frankenstein
3. Works Cited
Objectives & Research Themes
This research paper examines Stephen Crane’s 1898 novella, The Monster, through a critical race lens, exploring themes of alienation, class distinctions, and racial violence during the 1890s. By incorporating Becker’s (1963) labeling theory, the study compares the socio-political dynamics of Crane’s work with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Nella Larsen’s Passing to analyze how societal labels transform individuals into outcasts and perceived monsters.
- The intersection of race, alienation, and social labeling in the 1890s.
- Comparative analysis of monstrosity in literature and its relation to social status.
- Application of Howard Becker’s labeling theory to explain deviant behavior.
- The impact of racial segregation and mob violence on identity formation.
- The role of "passing" and the loss of social prestige in racially stratified societies.
Excerpt from the Book
Racism, Monstrosity and Labeling: Crane’s The Monster and Shelley’s Frankenstein
Is there such a thing as race? According to the Bible, didn’t God create all men his image? “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen. 1.27). But if there were, what purpose would it have? For sure it wouldn’t be to distinguish different kind of people from each other. That is why society created class distinctions already, or if brought back in history we can simply call it caste system. According to dictionaries, race is defined as follow: “any of the traditional divisions of humankind…characterized by supposedly distinctive and universal physical characteristics” (“Race”).
So what would make certain human traits considered as better than the others? And why would the chosen “inferior” race be subjected to persecution and even attempts toward extinction? This research focuses not only on racism of human color, mainly based on Crane’s (1898) novella, but as well as on alienation and labeling. Crane’s (1898) The Monster, and Mary Shelley’s (1818) Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus are both perfect examples of alienation and racism.
Throughout the centuries, humankind has a dark history of condemning different types of people who did not meet their social status or physical beauty. History makes it clear how white people mistreated blacks with slavery, human mistreatment, persecutions and many other things. But difference in skin color has not been the only reason for acts of racism against others. If we examine the caste system used in ancient Asia, it is clear how social status, lineage, and even physical traits were taken into consideration to make people feel superior to others.
Summary of Chapters
Abstract: Provides an overview of the paper's focus on Stephen Crane's The Monster and the application of labeling theory to racial and social themes.
Racism, Monstrosity and Labeling: Crane’s The Monster and Shelley’s Frankenstein: Investigates the historical and literary contexts of race, segregation, and the labeling of individuals as monstrous, while comparing Crane's novella with Shelley's Frankenstein and Larsen's Passing.
Works Cited: Lists the academic sources, literary works, and historical references utilized to support the research arguments.
Keywords
Race, Alienation, Labeling Theory, The Monster, Frankenstein, Passing, Racism, Segregation, Mob Violence, Social Status, Monstrosity, Criminality, Howard Becker, African Americans, Jim Crow Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the intersection of racism, alienation, and social labeling in Stephen Crane’s 1898 novella, The Monster, while drawing thematic parallels to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Nella Larsen’s Passing.
What are the core thematic fields addressed in the analysis?
The study covers racial relations, class distinctions, the history of segregation in the United States, the dynamics of mob violence, and the sociological consequences of stigmatizing "others" as monsters.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The goal is to apply Howard Becker’s (1963) labeling theory to literary characters who are marginalized due to their race or physical appearance to understand how societal rejection contributes to their status as outcasts.
Which scientific methodology is employed in this research?
The paper utilizes a critical race approach combined with literary analysis and sociological theory—specifically Howard Becker’s labeling theory—to interpret character developments and societal behaviors.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines historical U.S. racial issues like Jim Crow laws, compares the disfigurement of Henry Johnson to Victor Frankenstein’s creature, and discusses the loss of social status among those who challenge racial hierarchies.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Race, Alienation, Labeling Theory, Monstrosity, Social Status, Segregation, and the specific literary works examined: The Monster, Frankenstein, and Passing.
How does the author connect Henry Johnson to Frankenstein’s creature?
The author argues that both figures are subjected to social exclusion and are labeled "monsters" due to their physical disfigurement, leading to their status as outcasts regardless of their inherent human qualities.
What role does "passing" play in the discussion of Larsen’s work?
The paper analyzes how the concept of "passing" in Nella Larsen’s novel reflects the extreme pressure to conform to white standards and the catastrophic consequences that arise when one's racial background is revealed.
- Citation du texte
- Demetrius Goncalves (Auteur), 2015, Racism, Monstrosity and Labeling. Crane’s “The Monster” and Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/310160
