The Upturned Face by Stephen Crane
"The Upturned Face" by Stephen Crane is a poignant short story that explores the themes of mortality, duty, and the psychological toll of war. Set on a battlefield, the narrative follows Lieutenant Timothy Lean and an adjutant as they confront the grim reality of a fallen comrade, whose body lies with an upturned face, gazing toward the sky. As they grapple with the task of burying their friend amidst the chaos of ongoing combat, the characters reveal their vulnerability and hesitation in the face of death.
The story depicts the urgency and somberness surrounding the burial process, emphasizing the reluctance the soldiers feel toward touching the corpse. They ultimately decide to perform the burial themselves rather than delegating the task to enlisted men, reflecting a sense of respect for their deceased comrade. Throughout the narrative, the atmosphere is charged with the sounds of battle, enhancing the tension and emotional weight of the scene. Crane's vivid imagery and exploration of human responses to death serve to highlight the profound impact of war on individuals and their relationships with one another. This work invites readers to contemplate the complexities of grief and the nature of honor in the midst of conflict.
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The Upturned Face by Stephen Crane
First published: 1900
Type of plot: Sketch
Time of work: The late 1800's
Locale: A battlefield in an unspecified war
Principal Characters:
Timothy Lean , a lieutenantAn adjutant Bill , a dead manTwo privates
The Story
As two soldiers contemplate the body of a dead comrade, lying on the battlefield at their feet, its face turned toward the sky, the adjutant asks Lieutenant Timothy Lean, "What will we do now?" Lean decides that the body must be buried and calls two enlisted men to dig a grave. Meanwhile, the adjutant and Lean decide that the clothes of the dead man must be searched, and the task falls to Lean. Hesitant to touch the corpse, he shakily completes the chore. As the grave is being dug and the search is being performed, enemy bullets fly overhead. Finally, the two enlisted men finish their hastily dug and shallow grave. The adjutant and Lean stand almost unsure of what to do next. They decide it would be proper if they put their fallen comrade into the grave themselves rather than order the enlisted men to do it. They are careful to avoid touching the body itself as they position the corpse in the grave.
Lean remembers part of a burial service and begins it. The adjutant lamely adds a word or two that he recalls. After Lean abruptly orders the two privates to begin filling in the grave, rifle fire from sharpshooters hits one of them in the arm. Both men are sent back to their lines, so Lean, almost feverishly, fills in the grave himself. Finally, all that is left of their fallen companion is his chalk-blue upturned face. Fighting off his sense of horror, Lean takes a shovelful of dirt and swings it toward the grave. The dirt makes a plopping sound as it lands, and the story ends.
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