The Red Badge of Courage is a fictional story about a young soldier named Henry Fleming who faces his fears and grows during the Civil War. Henry, an ordinary farm boy from New York, aspires to be a genuine war hero and joins the 304th New York regiment, fighting for the Unionist forces. The main conflict in this novel revolves around Henry’s struggle with courage, which begins to change after witnessing the death of his close friend Jim. In a twist of fate, Henry acquires a “red badge of courage” when he is unintentionally struck in the head by another soldier’s rifle.
Henry gains the confidence to return to his regiment and redeem himself. He develops a close relationship with the loud soldier, Wilson, and they thrive together as true war heroes. The book has 10 chapters that give the perspective of the young soldier, Henry Fleming, during different points in time. The book includes flashbacks when Henry sits in his tent contemplating his purpose as a soldier and thinking about his mother’s words. He also remembers his failures during the war. In terms of literary analysis, the themes in The Red Badge of Courage revolve around courage, duty, respect, warfare, and isolation.
Courage is demonstrated by the soldiers in the novel. It takes a great deal of courage for someone to risk their life for others. Henry Fleming displays courage as he fears he will not be able to be a true hero and doubts his reaction during battles. He believes he must prove his valor to be a real man. Ultimately, Henry overcomes his fear and gains newfound confidence as he fights.
Duty- Henry Fleming, a young soldier in the Civil War, grapples with the conflict between his personal duty to stay safe and alive, and his duty to fight for his cause. The duty to himself is focused on self-preservation, while the duty to his cause involves engaging in the war.
Respect/ Reputation- Within the novel, the soldiers learn the importance of respecting orders and cultivating a fraternal relationship with one another. This unity enables them to work together to fulfill their individual duties for their own well-being, as well as for the country. Despite facing defeats, they ultimately see themselves as brothers who must respect each other. Henry Fleming believes that he cannot earn respect unless he proves himself to be a genuine hero. When he panics and flees from the war, he becomes anxious that his fellow soldiers will lose respect for him and view him as a coward.
Warfare- Stephen Crane portrays the perspective of war through the eyes of a soldier. He vividly depicts the harsh battles, injuries, deaths, and fears to provide readers with a realistic understanding of what war truly entails.
Isolation- Henry Fleming frequently isolates himself intentionally or unintentionally from his regiment. He does this as a means to address his concerns and confront his own inner fears about his abilities in battle.
However, at a certain point, his fears overwhelmed him and took control when he fled from the battle and panicked. • Nature: In The Red Badge of Courage, nature—the sun, the moon, the stars, the entire universe—continues with its affairs regardless of the war’s occurrences. Henry observed the exquisite blue skies during the day, the swaying trees, the radiant full moon, and the shimmering golden rays illuminating the river. Meanwhile, the most horrific events were unfolding (death, gunshots, smoke, and fire).
Man cannot manipulate nature, and Henry couldn’t control it in any way. • Main Characters: Henry Fleming, Jim Conklin, and Wilson. • Henry Fleming- The novel’s protagonist. He is a young soldier who fights in the 304th regiment New York regiment in the Civil War. Initially, Henry remains untested in battle and doubts his own bravery. However, throughout the course of the story, he confronts the harsh realities of war. Henry gains wisdom from his past experience running away from battle as a frightened boy and transforms into a courageous war hero.
He deals with a conflict within himself, and overcomes his fear in battle. • Jim Conklin- He is also known as the “tall soldier. ” Henry asks Jim if he would flee from battle, and Jim’s response establishes him as a pragmatist: he would run if others ran, and fight if they fought. Jim is an independent man who dislikes loud, criticizing individuals like Wilson. He remains composed and sensible about the war. As a soldier, Jim fulfills his duty and plays a significant role in the novel. His death aids Henry in redeeming himself and gaining confidence to conquer his fear in battle.
Henry desired the same “red badge of courage” that Jim possessed. Wilson experiences a significant transformation throughout the book. Initially known as the “loud soldier” who excessively believes in his abilities in the war, Wilson reveals his vulnerability when he entrusts Henry with an envelope for his family. This showcases that he has lost his confidence and recognizes that he is just like every other soldier. Wilson demonstrates that he is merely an adolescent struggling to establish his manhood. The setting in the novel does not hold great significance. The story takes place in the forest, where Henry reunites with his regiment, the camp where the soldier eat, sleep, and plan their next battle, and the fields where they fight for their country. The novel incorporates literary devices such as symbolism, imagery, and allusions. A particular example is when “the landscape gave him assurance… it was the religion of peace.”
This paragraph discusses various aspects of imagery as described by Crane in relation to the battlefield. Firstly, there is a serene and quiet atmosphere depicted through the “chanting chorus of the trees.” Additionally, Crane illustrates the tense atmosphere between shots on the battlefield. Moving on, the color red is utilized to symbolize blood, danger, and fear. Examples of this include phrases like “the red animal – war, the blood-swollen god” and “a red badge of courage.” The title “Red Badge of Courage” itself represents a wound obtained while fighting for one’s country. In terms of writing style, Crane employed short and comprehendible sentences.
This author’s use of figurative language is not as extensive as some other authors. However, his unique style showcases his individuality, as evidenced by intentional grammatical errors throughout the novel. One example of this is the phrase “Doubts and he were struggling.” In addition, he tends to exaggerate his descriptions. For instance, when he refers to an “angry shot,” it raises questions about whether one can calmly fight for their lives while shooting. Similarly, when he uses the phrase “suddenly lurched forward,” it implies that there may be alternative ways to lurch. Furthermore, he mentions “persistent woods,” which begs the question of whether such woods actually exist.
The novel by Crane exhibits intense, realistic, warlike, and emotional tones. The Red Badge of Courage presents various conflicts such as man vs. society, man vs. nature, man vs. self, and man vs. man. In this story, the main conflict is portrayed as man vs. self. Henry, the protagonist, grapples with his lack of self-confidence during the battle and questions his own bravery. Additionally, he wonders if others share his sentiments. Henry not only fears looking foolish and fleeing but also dreads the possibility of death. Unexpectedly, he acquires his “red badge of courage” when a fellow soldier accidentally strikes him in the head with a rifle.
He was able to demonstrate his war-wound to his comrades, which transforms him into a changed young man who conquers his inner conflict. • Notable quotes: • “He experienced a silent masculinity, unassertive yet robust and resilient.” Henry matures into a man after exhibiting bravery in combat. His confidence grows, not just in himself, but also in his regiment. They all take pride in their service to the country. • “He, too, discarded his firearm and retreated desperately. There was no embarrassment on his face. He ran like a startled rabbit.” Crane depicts Henry’s hasty retreat from battle. It was not planned or a conscious decision, rather an instinctive reaction.
His fear overwhelmed him, causing him to flee uncontrollably. • “When he looked around, the young man was amazed by the clear, blue sky and the sunlight reflecting off the trees and fields. It was astonishing that Nature continued with its peaceful processes amidst all the chaos.” Henry observed that nature operated independently and could not be controlled. Despite the terrible events occurring, nature maintained its inherent beauty. Literature in Context: This novel was inspired by the events of the Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville.
The Red Badge of Courage challenged American notions of war novels. Prior to Crane’s book, most fiction about the Civil War portrayed it as an idealistic clash of opposing ideals. However, Crane took a different approach by focusing on the individual perspective of Private Henry Fleming, a soldier experiencing battle for the first time. Interestingly, Crane himself did not participate in the war nor witness any battles. In my personal opinion, I enjoyed reading this book as it was easy to comprehend. The sentences were well-structured and the vocabulary was within my grasp.
Despite Stephen Crane’s grammatically incorrect sentences, I found the book enjoyable and insightful. It provided a unique perspective on the experiences of soldiers during the civil war, which increased my understanding and respect for them. Although I typically dislike reading facts, this novel presented a refreshing take on the subject matter. Reading about what actually happens in war was eye-opening, as I had previously been unaware. However, I felt compelled to correct Crane’s grammar at times, as I fail to see the purpose in being grammatically incorrect.
