Last Words

"Last Words" by Stephen Crane is a compilation of short stories from the late 1800s, presenting a diverse array of themes and environments, with stories of warfare, individual battles, and insights into people, all demonstrating Crane's poetic style and layered understanding of mind and emotion. The collection starts with a story of two characters at the beach, exchanging playful insults about each other's looks as they get ready to swim. The freckled character shows a concern about his appearance causing a lively exchange with his taller friend. Their talk displays their opposite characters, with the freckled man trying to stand his ground against his friend's straightforward honesty. This fun interaction hints at ideas of friendship, feeling awkward, and what it means to be human paving the way for bigger, more thoughtful subjects that come later.