When Stephen Crane saw boundaries he didn't dawdle and wait for someone to help in inside, He just jumped the fence. This spirit is evident in the Civil War novel that he's famous for, The Red Badge of Courage. He was only twenty-one when he wrote the book and he dared to tell the story even though he'd never so much as stepped onto the battlefield. His life was a series of wild dares. Every time he disobeyed his Methodist parents and snuck away to explore the neighborhood, he risked punishment. Every time he compromises his safety as a journalist by disguising himself and sneaking into dangerous places, he risked his life. What was his greatest feat? That's easy. Somehow, he wrote it all down.