I am writing an annotated bib about this topic and I'm not sure where to start looking or what could and couldn't be considered as a theme.
Crane's work is often thematically driven by Naturalistic and Realistic concerns, including ideals versus realities, spiritual crises and fear. These themes are particularly evident in Crane's first three novels, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, The Red Badge of Courage and George's Mother.[171] The three main characters search for a way to make their dreams come true, but ultimately suffer from crises of identity.[172] In The Red Badge of Courage, the main character both longs for the heroics of battle but ultimately fears it, demonstrating the dichotomy of courage and cowardice. He experiences the threat of death, misery and a loss of self.[173] Extreme isolation from society and community is also apparent in Crane's work. During the most intense battle scenes in The Red Badge of Courage, for example, the story's focus is predominately on the inner responses of a self unaware of others.[174] In The Open Boat, An Experiment in Misery and other short stories, Crane uses experiments with light, motion and color to express different degrees of epistemological uncertainty.[175] Similar to other Naturalistic works, Crane scrutinizes the position of man, who has been isolated not only from society, but also from God and nature. The Open Boat, for example, distances itself from the old Romantic optimism and affirmation of man's place in the world by concentrating on the characters' isolation.
