Personal Appeal in "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky"
Summary:
In Stephen Crane's short story "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky," Scratchy does not exhibit personal appeal because his abuse of alcohol causes him to exhibit reckless and senseless behavior.
In The Bride comes to Yellow Sky by Stephen Crane, Scratchy does not exhibit personal appeal because of his recklessness, his senselessness and his abuse of alcohol. Scratchy's drunkenness is obviously what causes his reckless and senseless behavior. He is not appealing mainly because of this. He shows us how misusing alcohol can cause people to do things that they would not normally do, and will later regret. "When he's sober he's all right-kind of simple-wouldn't hurt a fly-nicest fellow in town. But when he's drunk-whoo!" (page 146). His drunkenness greatly affects the way I picture him.
It makes him seem irresponsible, without self-control, and it just completely decreases his appeal level. Scratchy exhibits his reckless behavior when he shoots randomly in the town and upon entering the saloon. He just shows how mindless a man can be, shooting all over and calling out for a challenge. "he can't break down that door...but when he comes you'd better lay on the floor, stranger. He's dead sure to shoot at it..."(page 145). He shows his senselessness when he shoots at a helpless dog and when it says how he would normally try to break the door down even by shooting at it, without considering the possibility of maybe accidentally shooting or killing somebody. Overall this shows us how a man that is said to be a nice, and peaceful man, could give us such a different view of his own character because of being on the influence of alcohol. If not for his drunkenness, scratchy would most likely be much more appealing but since that is not the case he is looked upon as a reckless, senseless drunkard.
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