Stream of Consciousness

stream of consciousness: refers to an attempt on the part of the author to reproduce the unembellished flow of thoughts in the human mind with its feelings, judgements, associations, and memories

"...When he perceived again that it was not possible for the army to be defeated, he tried to bethink him of a fine tale which he could take back to his regiment, and with it turn the expected shafts of derision.
       But, as he mortally feared these shafts, it became impossible for him to invent a tale he felt he could trust..."
                                                                                                    -The Red Badge of Courage
                                                                                                            by Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane uses stream of consciousness throughout The Red Badge of Courage to enhance its effectiveness as a war story. By writing in the same way a person thinks he made the story more realistic, and was able to show how soldiers thought and felt during battle. The use of stream of consciousness forces the reader to focus on what is happening to the main character, not what is going on around them. This makes the novel more of an experience and less of a story. Crane also used this technique to showcase the confusion of war. Stream of consciousness passages are not necessarily in a logical order; they are often confusing and difficult to follow. However, this quality also makes them an ideal medium for expressing a soldier's thoughts and feelings during battle.