Topic > offers realistic and believable characters with average abilities. The soldiers are presented neither as epic heroes nor as bloodthirsty killers; rather, their most striking feature is their overwhelming normality. The soldiers of Henry's regiment swear, fight, and argue just like normal people. This concrete, gritty and everyday style is characteristic of realism. A particular convention used by Crane to convince the reader of the existence of his characters is dialect. The distinctive speech of the soldiers enhances the photographic effect of the novel, giving it authenticity. Another hallmark of realism is the complexity of character, a trait easily evident in Henry Fleming. As he shifts from cowardice to heroism, from compassion to contempt, from optimism to pessimism, the reader observes that he is more than just a stereotype. He is a person with fears, hopes, dreams and weaknesses. Nature is often described as indifferent or disinterested in the affairs of humanity. While naturalism involves emphasis on the hostility of nature, realism lacks this trait. For example, after fighting a battle, "the young man [experiences] a flash of amazement at the pure blue sky and the sun shining on the trees and fields.