War Reflections: A Simile from Stephen Crane
What is one simile from An Episode of War by Stephen Crane?
Answer: Crane's similes convey that, sadly, human war is part of Nature: the battery sounds like “the crash of waves on rocks”; the shooting “crackled like bush-fires” and sometimes “like thunder.” The lieutenant comes upon stragglers who, “no longer having part in the battle, know more of it than others.
Understanding Crane's Similes in An Episode of War
These similes serve to not only describe the sounds of war but also to reflect on the broader themes of the story. By linking human conflict to the natural world, Crane suggests that war is not just a human invention but a fundamental part of the world we live in.