Death of a Girl of The Street

Jacqueline Procter
Journal #7
February 22, 2008
Stephen Crane

Quote:
“At their feet the river appeared a deathly black hue. Some hidden factory sent up a yellow glare, that lit for a moment the waters lapping oily against timbers. The varied sounds of life, made joyous by distance and seeming unapproachableness, came faintly and died away to a silence."

Summary:
Maggie walks to the river and is followed by a lecherous man – Ominous mood is cast.

Response:
Since this is the last time Maggie appears in the story I believe she was probably killed by the lecherous man. I’m not sure if the timbers symbolize Maggie, as timbers are stationary/stuck and the oily water the lecherous man. She may or may not have been a willing participant in her death, but if she purposefully walked into the situation it’s because she had no hope left, not to mention self worth. The yellow glare could be symbolic of a flare gun as it is used to send out a signal to be rescued. “Joyous by distance and seeming unapproachable ness” reminds me of how close she came to being rescued by Pete and her joy at the theatre – fantasy of a different life viewed from a distance but out of reach. She resorted to prostitution because there weren’t many options available to her. The only other option left for her was to opt out of life.