A Mystery of Heroism by Stephen CraneStephen Crane, a pioneering writer of his time, forced his readers to look beyond his written words for a more underlined and meaningful moral in most of his stories. Crane follows a strict pattern in most of his work. His topics usually concern the physical, emotional, and intellectual responses of ordinary people faced with extraordinary and extreme experiences. Fairly common themes are presented in his writings, including fallen humanity and harsh realities; yet they all seem to overlap in the category of heroism. Crane, fascinated by hero status, seemed to moralize every story he wrote with a sense of hope. Readers are left with the impression that one does not need to be superhuman to possess superhuman abilities and, in turn, be a hero. In Crane's A Mystery Of Heroism, the quest for the question "What is a hero?" is explored. Fred Collins, a Union soldier during the Civil War, is a simple man. Out of place, Fred is a shameful and childish man, thrown into a war in which there is no place for him. Throughout the story, Collins longs for a drink of well water located in an active battlefield. Going against all his inhibitions and better judgment, and indulging in peer pressure, Collins decides to embark on the suicidal journey. Surprisingly, Collins somehow recovers and reaches the water well, surprising himself in the process. Upon arriving at his destination, Collins reflects on the miraculous obstacles he has overcome and for a moment even calls himself a "hero." But what is a hero? Do you have to cross a battlefield to get a drink to be included in the brave category? Is heroism nothing more than defying death? Fred Collins evaluates his life at this point to refute the headline…middle of the paper…consider it. When the ship sinks, four non-heroic average characters are saved. Yet, when ordinary people are forced to perform extraordinary feats, heroes are born. Stephen Crane was a magnificent author with determination and morals in his heart. He wrote these stories in the hope that people will find heroes in their "average" selves. All of his characters were interlopers in the land of heroism, yet they were all considered literary heroes. He pointed out that you don't have to be Hercules to have superhuman strength. You don't have to be a fighter to win a fight. You don't have to defy death to be classified as a hero. You don't have to be a hero, to be a hero. Heroism comes from within. Heroism comes in many shapes and forms, and each of us has within us the capacity to be a hero. And at some point heroism will manifest itself without warning.