Maggie: a Girl of the Streets

Stephen Crane’s short story Maggie: a Girl of the Streets takes place in New York City near the end of the 19th century. Maggie is a young girl growing up in the ghetto. Crane reveals to the reader the feelings of desperation, resentment, poverty, and violence that Maggie is exposed to as a part of her everyday life. The reader is transported directly to the slums that were a part of the everyday life for many immigrants at the turn of the century. The story gives the reader an in depth look at both the cause and effect of the violence and alcohol abuse that is responsible for the destruction and doom of many young people growing up in ghetto areas and tenement housing. The injustices that Maggie faced during her short life were common to all members of the community as well.
The plot of this story reveals the life and times of Maggie, her family, and the living conditions and lifestyle they experienced growing up in a tenement house. The story tells the tale of Maggieâ€...