7/26/2019 Tone and Diction of Maggie

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Rachel Martin

10-29-15

Red GroupTone and Diction of Maggie

Stephan Cranes Maggie: A Girl of the Streets concludes with tones of elation and

loo!iness" Maggie is a#out a poor irl li$in in a tene!ent in %ew &or' at the turn of the

centur() who is forced to #eco!e a prostitute due to her dire situation" *n the final scene #efore

Maies death) Maie is wal'in throuh the dar' streets of %ew &or') while the li$el( sounds

of happiness can #e heard #ehind her and she +uic'l( understands that she will ne$er #e a#le

to add her own ,o( to those sounds"

Cranes diction heihtens the elated tone" The sounds of life. that are ,o(ous. find their

wa( to Maies eardru!s while shes wal'in her dar' path of prostitution" /lthouh this scene

should feel depressin #ecause of Maies situation) the sounds of life.) used #( Crane to

descri#e other people in the cit() sound cheerful to an(one who isnt a prostitute with suicide in

the #ac' of her !ind" suall() one thin's of ,o( onl( in happ( settins) #ut Crane effecti$el(

uses ,o(ous. as a wa( to contrast other peoples #lissful li$es with Maies depressin one"

The loo!iness of the scene is shown throuh Cranes diction as well" The deathl( #lac' hue

of the ri$er. and the unapproacha#leness. of the cities finest show how these happ( ti!es are

percei$ed #( Maie" hen the ri$er is descri#ed to ha$e a deathl( #lac' hue.) the reader

i!!ediatel( ets a sense of deep depression and feels the i!!ense sadness that is usuall(

associated with the color #lac'" The unapproacha#leness. of the happ( li$es of others) !a'e it

clear to the reader that Maie has no hope that her life will e$er et #etter"