Amused Quote by Stephen Crane
“Such an assemblage of the spraddle-legged men of the middle class, whose hands were bent and shoulders stooped from delving and constructing, had never appeared to an Asbury Park summer crowd, and the latter was vaguely amused.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Red Badge of Courage, 1895
The working‑class crowd in Asbury Park is described as physically worn from labor, highlighting the contrast between their daily toil and the spectators’ amusement.
In simple terms: Laborers appear exhausted and stooped, while on watch amused.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the hidden hardships behind casual observations.
Themes
class
labor
observation
social contrast
human dignity
Mood
reflective
critical
observational
Type
literature
social commentary
When to use this quote
- factory work
- construction sites
- public entertainment
- social gatherings
Key Concepts
industrialization
social stratification
urban life
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this scene reveal about societal attitudes toward labor?
- How might the crowd’s amusement be interpreted?
A Different Perspective
The passage may romanticize hardship without addressing systemic issues.
![“[T]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/19e/neil-gaiman-29_amused_t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every_4551.jpg)
![“[The doctrine of air] I was led into in consequence of inhabiting a house adjoining to a public brewery, where I at first amused myself with making experiments on the fixed air [carbon dioxide] which I found ready made in the process of fermentation . When I removed from that house I was under the…” quote by Joseph Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/42a/joseph-priestley-17782_air_the-doctrine-of-air-i-was-led-into-in-co_74416.jpg)
