Unlike stories such as Ernest Hemingway’s “Soldier’s Home” and Chinua Achebe’s “Civil Peace,” Stephen Crane’s “The Veteran” portrays the aftermath of war as tranquil and almost idyllic. There is no famine, mob violence, or political tension between the characters of the story. In fact, the very first paragraph describes a warm and peaceful afternoon. When Henry Fleming recounts one of his war stories, he does so without anger or bitterness. On the contrary, he makes a vivid and humorous show out of it, complete with onomatopoeia, to demonstrate how he ran from enemy bullets.

Instead of showing the damaging effects of war on the environment and the general populace, Crane instead explores the aftermath of war in relation to Henry Fleming’s psyche. While Henry does not appear to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, Crane makes it clear through subtle characterization that he has nonetheless been shaped by his wartime experiences. This is apparent when his face transforms into “a gray mask” when he learns about the fire; the onset of calamity summons forth his soldier’s composure. With his alarm and sense of duty heightened, he risks all to save the animals in the barn. This strong urge to fulfill the role of the hero harkens back to the main themes of Crane’s 1895 novel, The Red Badge of Courage, which features the character of Henry Fleming as a youth fighting in the Civil War.

Because “The Veteran” takes place decades after The Red Badge of Courage, Henry Fleming’s characterization serves to demonstrate how war changes one forever. Even when he is living a peaceful country life—he has a plot of fertile and profitable land, a big family, and the respect of his community—he still cannot resist the call of honor, even if it means risking his life.

The theme of youthful idealism is extensively explored in The Red Badge of Courage, and it is present in “The Veteran” as well. The story suggests that while idealism is fundamentally a trait of youth, it can arise just as powerfully in those who are older.

Because Henry Fleming is now an aged war veteran, youth is primarily represented by his grandson, Jimmie Fleming. Jimmie is characterized as having the same boyish idealizations of war and violence as Henry Fleming once did when he was an adolescent private in the 304th New York Infantry Regiment. Jimmie feels crestfallen when his grandfather makes a joke out of his own cowardice in the field of battle. Henry’s admission embarrasses Jim and bruises his idealized image of heroism.

Later in the story, however, Henry shows that his own ideal of heroism has not faded over the years and decades. When he learns of the barn fire, he rises to the occasion. He rescues the animals trapped within and pulls the fallen Swede to safety. Most notably, the story culminates in an act of pure heroism: Henry sacrifices his own life to save a pair of colts still trapped in the barn. While Henry may appear to have outgrown boyish idealizations on the surface level, he still carries the ideal of heroism that his grandson harbors—and lives up to that ideal.

In “The Veteran,” Crane portrays nature in its opposing aspects. The first half of the story is replete with idyllic natural scenes of the rural village. But while nature may be depicted as rich and beautiful, it is also made to signify a brutal wildness. Indeed, nature in “The Veteran” is portrayed as something that cannot be defeated.

During the fire, natural forces constantly get...