Donald Vanouse Classroom Issues and Strategies Stephen Crane's works present sudden shifts in tone and point of view, and frequently the works end without establishing either certainty about characters or resolution of thematic issues. These qualities contribute to Crane's multi-layered irony.
Crane asks questions rather than providing answers.
Consider using the poems to introduce some of his major themes. Crane seems to have valued them quite highly as expressions of his sense of the world. Like other scholars, students in class often are concerned with Crane's attitude toward God. Major Themes, Historical Perspectives, and Personal Issues Crane writes about extreme experiences that are confronted by ordinary people. In his themes and styles, Crane is an avant-garde writer.