Color symbolism is a favorable tool of Crane’s. His use of colors, particularly red, yellow, blue, and black, give the reader a constant opportunity to read deeper into the dynamics of his work. Pure colors and contrasts are used to extract ideas. Color, whether in clothing to make known social status or painted directly on the body to signify a particular tribe or culture has always been used symbolically.
In the second paragraph, the colors that are being displayed already give us information about the first character we are being introduced to. The color red is quite contradicting. Associated to rage and love, battle and fire, high-spirited joy and absolute devastation, red also suggests courage, life-energy, and desire. “The man’s face was reddened by the wind and sun, and a direct result of his new black clothes was that his brick-colored hands were constantly performing in a most conscious fashion.” It appears to the reader that this man works outdoors in the wind and sun doing hard labor, because of his reddened face and hands to earn the new black clothes he is sporting. The assumption can already be made that he is not a rich man made overnight. He has worked hard to have what he has, whether it be his status or material items.
When we are introduced to Scratchy Wilson, he is wearing a maroon-colored flannel shirt, purchased for decoration. He is holding a long, heavy, blue-black revolver. Because red is associated with fire, danger, and blood, the color choices are ironic. As we meet Scratchy, we assume that he is out to kill with his gun. Because he is wearing maroon rather than red, we sense that something is not quite right. Maybe he wants to appear to be dangerous and angry, but that there is more. We find out in the end that this is true. Wilson is not out to kill. In fact, there is a bond between the two men that we can compare somewhat to a marriage. These two men seem to “break-up” when Scratchy Wilson is informed that Potter is married.
When speaking of Potter’s bride, Crane describes her as wearing “a dress of blue cashmere.” Blue can be a reference to both royalty and devotion. Obviously, because Crane tells us that she is embarrassed by her attire, we get the impression that she is not comfortable wearing such garb. Crane uses the color blue in this piece to represent both distinction and passivity. The color blue carries connotations of monotony and mindlessness. Because the bride is never given a name in the story, we get a sense that she is unimportant, except for the fact that now she belongs to Jack Potter.
In literature many authors use the color black to represent death. Potter is described as wearing new black clothes. This suggests that he is literally covering himself with death. Traditionally associated with death, the color black implies darkness and loneliness – a psychological entombment. Although, Potter is the one wearing black, when introducing Scratchy Wilson, Crane refers to a tomb. “It was as if the surrounding stillness formed the arch of a tomb over him.” Darkness symbolizes deception and is traditionally and contemporarily connected with evil and sin. Crane’s reference to shadow also depicts these concepts. During the train ride to Yellow Sky, Jack Potter was “beginning to find the shadow of a deed weigh upon him like a leaden slab.” In order to have a shadow, there has to be a source of light. Light references are prominent throughout this piece continually. The color yellow stands for the positive virtues of faith, constancy, wisdom, and glory. These words, in turn, reflect light. The sun, which is the ultimate light, is mentioned a few times throughout the story. In almost every paragraph, Crane describes something, person, or place as glowing, shining, sunny, beaming, or radiant.
Because the word yellow is in the title of the story, it is apparent that this color will be prominent throughout. Crane’s use of yellow can be interpreted to symbolize cowardice or confusion. Yellow is cheerful but can become irritating if alone for too long, hence Yellow Sky. Yellow is the color also associated with Potter’s feelings of perplexity concerning arriving in Yellow Sky with a new wife from the east. The color yellow is a cowardly color. The occupants of Yellow Sky are terrified as Scratchy Wilson rages up and down the street. “The man was playing with this town. It was a toy for him.” Yellow Sky is vulnerable, like a child. Crane mentions that “a new cowardice had been upon him” when “he had reflected on the advisability of telling them [the town
of Yellow Sky] by telegraph.”
This is not the only time Crane addresses the theme of reflection. He makes use of windows, shining brass, gleaming wood “as darkly brilliant as the surface of a pool of oil,” and he even mentions numerous mirrors throughout the story. “The surrounding reflected the glory of their marriage that morning” is not only a pathetic fallacy that flat out speaks of reflection, but the words glory and morning once again bring us back to references of light.
Scratchy Wilson cannot face his own two roles, because the coward side of him prevails. Potter has realized and is attempting to accept his new role as husband, while Scratchy is having a difficult time accepting this newly discovered information. Scratchy is, however, almost comical in his decorative shirt and fancy boots. His shirt was made by some Jewish women on the east side of New York. His boots had red tops with gilded imprints, like the kind that little sledding boys on the hillsides of New England wear. Despite his comical appearance, Scratchy is still the terror of the town.
When Scratchy finally finds Potter, he does not get what he expected. Scratchy is ready for a duel, while Potter has ignored his role as Marshal and is unarmed. Scratchy's pretend world is shattered. “There ain't a man in Texas ever seen you without no gun. Don't take me for no kid.” Stunned by the news of the marriage, Scratchy is quick to respond that "I s'pose it's all off now." Scratchy is full of self-pity as he walks away, forming “funnel-shaped tracks in the heavy sand. ‘Married!’ “
As we can clearly see, Stephen Crane uses many techniques and examples of symbolism to help portray the ending of The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky. Through colors, direction, and nature, Crane attempts to make the reader hear, feel, and see the motives and nature of his characters. He gives the reader constant access to the inner states of the characters, deepening the meaning of the story. It is up to the reader to do the excavating and digging up of all the hidden implications. Stephen Crane’s intricate use of colors as symbols is a unique art that is crucial to grasp the full meaning of his narratives.
