The Monster

Synopsis

The Monster is a short story written by Stephen Crane, first published in 1899. The story revolves around a young boy named Henry Johnson, who is a black stable hand working on a plantation in the American South during the Civil War. One day, while trying to rescue his employer's son from a fire, Henry is badly burned and disfigured. He becomes a social outcast and is treated with fear and disgust by everyone in the town, including his former friends. Henry's physical appearance is described as monstrous, and he is referred to as ""the monster"" by those around him.