A Mystery of Heroism

Although Collins’s voice is heard first and repeatedly in the first half of the story, all Collins says is that he is thirsty and wishes he had a drink. His voice does not stand out more than the rest until later in the story when, after some goading by his fellow soldiers, he asks officers for permission to get water from a nearby well. Then the story focuses on him, as Crane uses his character to explore the “mystery of heroism.”The officers ask him why he would risk his life for a drink of water, but Collins cannot answer them. As Collins reflects, he admits to himself that others might point to his actions as heroic, but he does not fear and in fact feels rather detached from the whole situation, which makes him question the value of heroism.

Then Collins denies himself the label of “hero” because he feels his petty actions of the past mean he is unable to be considered a hero. When he finally reaches the well, he is gripped by a sudden, fierce fear. The terror and horror of the whole scene, which he has felt distant from before, suddenly rushes over him.