Stephen Crane's "Bride of Yellow Sky"
...ld gang that used to hang out along the river here. He’s a terror when he’s drunk” (Crane 228.) The bartender also explains that when Scratchy “goes on the war-trail” everyone goes to ground (Crane 228). Jack Potter becomes the criminal as his thoughts are made known to the reader; his reasoning is the vehicle for this transition. He sees himself as committing an “extraordinary crime” (Crane 225). He did not involve the town in his decision to take a wife. He had become a traitor; he had looked to his own interests before that of the town. He realizes his crime is more than just omission, it is being a “traitor to the feelings of Yellow Sky” (Crane 226). When Scratchy transitions into the law abiding citizen, it is because of language, a discussion is heard between the customers at the Weary Gentleman Saloon and the bartender, when Scratchy is “sober he’s all right - kind of simple – wouldn’t hurt a fly – nicest fellow in town. But when he’s drunk – whoo!” (Crane 228).The men discuss Scratchy and how they don’t take him seriously, he shoots at the door so a bullet may find its mark accidently but when asked “will he kill anybody?”, the men only laugh low and scornfully (Crane 228). Using flashback’s the author displayed Scratchy’s beginning character of outlaw and then transition into law abiding citizen. It is here that the present tense of the story catches up to the next outlaw transition with Scratchy. The next transition is all given in setting. Visualizations are given of Scratchy shooting up the town, going to the bar and shooting at the door when no one will give him a drink. While in town he shoots at the dog in the street, slightly ahead or to the side of the dog only tormenting it not wounding it. He is not a killer, only a petulant child using the town as a plaything. The next thing that this outlaw wants to do is fight his old nemesis the marshal and he heads that way, the next transition just around the corner. In a transition that uses setting, Jack Potter watches Yellow Sky come into view on the horizon and he notes that “the hour of Yellow Sky – the hour of daylight – was approaching” (Crane 226). He can’t help being found out, the name Yellow Sky is indicative of the hour of daylight according to Crane, and in the light of day all shadows disappear, darkness is dispelled and secrets are no more. When his secret is spilled he is no longer a criminal with a secret, he is once more a law abiding citizen. Jack Potter and his bride run from the station platform, unwilling to surrender their wedded bliss for congratulatory expressions, and straight into Scratchy Wilson where another transition takes place. Scratchy upon seeing the marshal, is an outlaw through and through. He’s itching for a fight and wants to “play” at cowboys and Indians; he was singing apache scalp-music to help his game. He wants the old days back, he’s not ready for changes, but changes – transitions are already on their way. Jack, not the marshal, is the one that talks to him now. Jack the reasonable, respectable citizen, and the fog is permeated. Stephen Crane at this point uses language to show the transition between outlaw and citizen. Even the author c...