THE END Essay, Research Paper

The Red Badge of Courage Literary Critique

The Red Badge of Courage begins with the Youth (Henry) preparing to leave to war. He has fabulous ideas concocted in his mind about victory and heroism. The Youth soon finds that victory and heroism are a small part in the splendor of war. The Youth’s mind soon becomes burdened with thoughts of death and running away from battle. Sure enough, in the midst of battle, the Youth flees the battlefield. The Youth must learn to deal with the shame he feels on deserting his comrades. When he returns to his camp he lies and says that he was separated during combat and was shot. The Youth is given another chance to fight and prove he is not a coward. As the book progresses, the Youth learns to deal with his shame by feeling honored for being a hero. In the end, the Youth becomes a man. He learns that the most important lessons in life can be seen by opening his eyes. I personally was attracted to the Youth. All his thoughts and wild imagination impressed me. He would describe death as a being that could swallow him whole, and ramble on about wonderful sunsets. The Youth was also a very troubled soul. He worried a lot over things he might do and not the things he would do. For instance, on page 34, he questions others in hope that their answers would comfort him. He feels disassociated from others, "The Youth, considering himself separated from the others…" (p29). Page 35 quotes, "He was a mental outcast." He lacked self confidence and "continually tried to measure himself by his comrades." (p22). Despite his sorrow, the Youth was creative and compared ideas and objects to other ideas and objects. "The battle was like the grinding of an immense and terrible machine." I believe that the Youth brought the book to life through his life. At times I would find myself thinking, "I’ve thought that too!" For example on page 127, the Youth announces that his life should be lived to his expectations and not everyone else’s. I strongly agree with him on that idea. When the Youth was involved in hard situations, I pondered on what I would do and what decisions I would make. To illustrate, on page 80, when the youth ran, I decided I would have stayed and fought for my dignity if nothing else. At the end of the book, Henry learns how important life truly is and why. He learned that war deals with death shame, and sorrow, not just victory and freedom. On page 266, Henry becomes a man. "He had been to touch the great death, and found, after all, it was but the great death." Henry looked death in the eyes and fulfilled his dream of becoming a hero. He had earned the Red Badge of Courage.

Henry, "the youth", was a young man who lived on a farm with his mother. He dreamed about what fighting in a war would be like, and dreamed of being a hero. He dreamed of the battles of war, and of what it would be like to fight in those glorious battles. His mother was a wise, caring woman who had strong convictions about not wanting Henry to goto war. She is a very hardworking woman, and loves her son a great deal. She gave him hundreds of reasons why he was needed on the farm and not in the war. Henry knew his mother would not want him to enlist, but it was his decision to make. He dreamed of the battles of war, and of what it would be like to fight in those glorious battles. He didn’t want to stay on the farm with nothing to do, so he made his final decision to enlist. After enlisting he finds himself in a similar situation, with nothing to do. While there he becomes friends with two other soldiers, John Wilson, "the loud soldier / "the friend" and Jim Conklin, "the tall soldier". Wilson was a loud spoken and obnoxious soldier who becomes one of Henry’s best friends. Jim was a tall soldier and was a childhood friend of Henry’s. He was always calm and matter-of-fact like. He also loves pork sandwiches as that is all he eats. Wilson was as excited about going to war as Henry, while Jim was confident about the success of the new regiment. Wilson is acts very confident, and boasts of how well he will fight. After a few days of marching, Henry realizes that they have been wandering about aimlessly in circles. They continue to march wothout purpose, direction, and fighting. During this time Henry starts to think diffrently about war, amore close experienced way. He starts to lose some of his ideals of war, and starts to become scared of running away from a batlle. Lieutenant Hasbrouck, a young lieutenant of the 304th regiment (Henry’s regiment), is an extremely brave man. He also is constantly cursing. He, unlike the other officers, cares about and defends his troops performance and makes sure they get the recognition they deserve. He is a true leader and he is a model of what Henry and Wilson wish to become. After a while the regiment finally discovers a battle taking place. Jim gives Henry a yellow envelope with a packet inside. He is confident that he will die, and says that this will be his first and last battle. The regiment manages to hold off the rebels during the first attack, but the rebels like machines of steel; relentlessly came back again and again with reinforcements driving the soldiers back. Henry becomes scared, confused, and goes into a trance when he sees his forces depleting. He finally gets up and starts to run like a "proverbial chicken", who has lost the direction of safety. After he has run away he starts to anaylze himself and rationalize his actions. At first he thinks himself a a coward for running, and later he feels he was just saving himself for later. He thinks nature does not want him to die, eventhough his side was losing. He believes he was intelligent to run, and hopes he will die in battle to spite. Henry, still running, is met by a "tattered soldier" and he comes upon Jim who has been wounded badly. He does not complain about his pain, but asks Henry to move him out the road so he is not run over by artillery wagons. Even in his agony, he is concered about Henry and asks how he is faring. As his death grew nearer, Jim runs into a field looking for a suitable place to die. He ignores Henry’s offers of help, and as his body jerked horribly, he falls and dies. The only other witness to his death, "the tattered soldier", is impressed mostly by Jim’s bravery and courage. The tattered soldier appears to be a simple and innocent man. Though he is very simplistic and unsophisticated, he is a brave, kind, and responsible man. Henry walks away hurting inside and dangerous to himself. In the charge ahead Henry asks fleeing soldiers why they are running. He grabs a comrad and asked "why why" all the while holding his arm. The man struggling to be let go, hits Henry over the head with the butt of his rifle, thus giving Henry his first Red Badge of Courage. Henry stumbles across the battle field trying to stay on his feet. He meets a "cheery voiced man" who helps him get back to his regiment. The "cheery voiced man" not only lacks a name, but Henry never sees his face. He appears to be a ordinary man who can skillfully manuveur through the forest and patrols. At his regiment he meets up with Wilson again, and gets the wound on his head tended to. After resting for a little while he gets back into the battle. He felt the generals were a bunch of "lunkheads" for making them retreat instead of confronting the enemy. Henry starts to think that he and Wilson are going to die, but go into battle anyway. In the battle a change goes over Henry. He starts to fume with rage and exhaustion. He seemed to have a wild hate for his relentless foe. He felt that he and his companions were being taunted and being made fun of. In a following battle, he and Wilson have the oppurtunity to carry the regiment’s flag. After a bit of scuffiling Wilson takes the flag out, but later in the battle Henry manages to get thge rebel flag and runs up the line with Lieutenant Hasbrouck leading the way. In the battle he fought like a "Major General", and he has grown up a great deal. He is not afraid of dying anymore.

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane traces the effects of

war on a Union soldier, Henry Fleming, from his dreams of soldiering,

to his actual enlistment, and through several battles of the Civil

War. Henry Fleming was not happy with his boring life on the farm. He

wanted to become a hero in war and have girls loving him for his

glorious achievements in battle. He knew his mother would not like to

see him go to war, but it was his decision to make. He dreamed of the

exiting battles of war and the thrill of fighting glorious battles. He

didn’t want to stay on the farm with nothing to do, so he made the

final decision to enlist.

After enlisting he finds himself just sitting around with

nothing to do. He manages to make friends with two other soldiers,

John wilson and Jim Conklin. Wilson was as exited about going to war

as Henry, while Jim was confident about the success of the new

regiment. Henry started to realize after a few days of marching, that

their regiment was just wandering aimlessly, going in circles, like a

vast blue demonstration. They kept marching on without purpose,

direction, or fighting. Through time Henry started to think about the

battles in a different way, a more close and experienced way, he

started to become afraid that he might run from battle when duty

calls. He felt like a servent doing whatever his superiors told him.

When the regement finally discovers a battle taking place, Jim

gives Henry a little packet in a yellow envelope, telling Henry that

this will be his first and last battle. The regiment managed to hold

off the rebels for the first charge, but then the rebels came back

like machines of steel with re-enforcements, driving the regement

back. One man started to flee, then another, and another still. Henry

was scared, confused, and in a trance as he saw his forces depleating.

He finally got up and started running like a proverbial chicken, who

has lost the direction of safety.

After running away, Henry started rationalizing his behavior

after running from the enemy. At first he fells he was a stupid

coward for running, then he feels he was just saving himself for

later. he felt nature didn’t want him to die, eventhough his side is

losing. He believes he was intelligent for running and hopes he will

die in battle just for spite. The same time Henry met Jim, he also met

a tattered man. In the next charge, Henry and the tattered man see Jim

die a slow, and painful death. After Jim’s death, and a little

talking, Henry,though not realizing it, leaves the tattered man alone

on the battle field, hurting inside, and dangerous to himself.

In the charge ahead, Henry starts asking the soldiers why they

are running. He grabbed a comrad by the arm and asked the man "why-

why-" not letting go of the mans arm, so the man hit Henry over the

head with the butt of his rifle, giving Henry his first Red Badge of

Courage. Dazed, Henry stumbles around the battle field struggling to

stay on his feet, until a cheery man comes around and helps Henry to

get back to his regement. At his regiment he confronts wilson and has

his wound on his head attended to. After a short rest he again gets

back into battle. After the regiment lost that battle, the generals

had the regiment marching again. Henry felt the generals were a lot of

"lunkheads" for making them retreat instead of confronting the enemy.

Henry begins to feel that, he and Wilson, are going to die, but

goes to battle anyway. In battle, Henry began to fume with rage and

exhaustion. He had a wild hate for the relentless foe. He was not

going to be badgered of his life, like a kitten chased by boys. He

felt that he and his companions were being taunted and derided from

sincere convictions that they were poor and puny. In yet another

battle, when Henry and Wilson get a chance to carry their flag, they

fight over who will retain the flag. Wilson got the regement flag,

though later in battle Henry manages to obtain the rebel flag. And

from there, runs to the front of the line with the Liutenant, leading

the way. In battle he fought like a "Major General", though he did

regret leaving the tattered man alone on the battle field, he has

grown-up, and is not afraid of dying anymore.

Physical and emotional pain is what the tattered solider illustrates in the book. The tattered solider pain comes from all of the horrible things associated with war. Him going crazy brings emotional pain and the physical pain is brought on by the endurances of war. "There was a tattered man, fouled with dust, blood and powder stain from hair to shoes, who trudged quietly at the youths side". The tattered solider also characterizes the toughness people can endear. Even through the harshness of war people will find something inside of them, overcome it and not let it bother them. The tattered solider goes out and lives through the tough endurance’s of war but he finds something inside of him to live through it. The perfect solider is what Jim Conklin brings to the book. Jim never complains about war and fights as good as the next man. Many of the people look up to Jim because he is so strong willed. The regiments almost look up to Jim in a spiritual way finding peace inside of them when they think of him. It is a tragedy when Jim dies because of all of the moral inspiration he gave the regiment. True to his character Jim dies a quiet and peaceful death not distributing any of the regiment. Wilson represents the two sides of human nature. In the beginning of the book Wilson is a mean tough guy that no one liked. This outward act of being tuff is just a cover of the true nature of Wilson. It is natural for people to cover their true nature in front of new faces. Towards the end of the book Wilson starts to care about Henry. hen Henry is injured and he doesn’t try and fight the other men anymore. True to human nature once times start getting more difficult and Wilson becomes more comfortable with his surroundings he transcends into the calm compassionate person he really is. All of the characters in the Red Badge of Courage represent some aspect of man either physically or emotionally. This connection between the characters and the reader make the book true to life and more believable. Since the characters feel so real, physically and emotionally, the reader has an easier time relating to them.

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane traces the effects of

war on a Union soldier, Henry Fleming, from his dreams of soldiering,

to his actual enlistment, and through several battles of the Civil

War. Henry Fleming was not happy with his boring life on the farm. He

wanted to become a hero in war and have girls loving him for his

glorious achievements in battle. He knew his mother would not like to

see him go to war, but it was his decision to make. He dreamed of the

exiting battles of war and the thrill of fighting glorious battles. He

didn’t want to stay on the farm with nothing to do, so he made the

final decision to enlist.

After enlisting he finds himself just sitting around with

nothing to do. He manages to make friends with two other soldiers,

John wilson and Jim Conklin. Wilson was as exited about going to war

as Henry, while Jim was confident about the success of the new

regiment. Henry started to realize after a few days of marching, that

their regiment was just wandering aimlessly, going in circles, like a

vast blue demonstration. They kept marching on without purpose,

direction, or fighting. Through time Henry started to think about the

battles in a different way, a more close and experienced way, he

started to become afraid that he might run from battle when duty

calls. He felt like a servent doing whatever his superiors told him.

When the regement finally discovers a battle taking place, Jim

gives Henry a little packet in a yellow envelope, telling Henry that

this will be his first and last battle. The regiment managed to hold

off the rebels for the first charge, but then the rebels came back

like machines of steel with re-enforcements, driving the regement

back. One man started to flee, then another, and another still. Henry

was scared, confused, and in a trance as he saw his forces depleating.

He finally got up and started running like a proverbial chicken, who

has lost the direction of safety.

After running away, Henry started rationalizing his behavior

after running from the enemy. At first he fells he was a stupid

coward for running, then he feels he was just saving himself for

later. he felt nature didn’t want him to die, eventhough his side is

losing. He believes he was intelligent for running and hopes he will

die in battle just for spite. The same time Henry met Jim, he also met

a tattered man. In the next charge, Henry and the tattered man see Jim

die a slow, and painful death. After Jim’s death, and a little

talking, Henry,though not realizing it, leaves the tattered man alone

on the battle field, hurting inside, and dangerous to himself.

In the charge ahead, Henry starts asking the soldiers why they

are running. He grabbed a comrad by the arm and asked the man "why-

why-" not letting go of the mans arm, so the man hit Henry over the

head with the butt of his rifle, giving Henry his first Red Badge of

Courage. Dazed, Henry stumbles around the battle field struggling to

stay on his feet, until a cheery man comes around and helps Henry to

get back to his regement. At his regiment he confronts wilson and has

his wound on his head attended to. After a short rest he again gets

back into battle. After the regiment lost that battle, the generals

had the regiment marching again. Henry felt the generals were a lot of

"lunkheads" for making them retreat instead of confronting the enemy.

Henry begins to feel that, he and Wilson, are going to die, but

goes to battle anyway. In battle, Henry began to fume with rage and

exhaustion. He had a wild hate for the relentless foe. He was not

going to be badgered of his life, like a kitten chased by boys. He

felt that he and his companions were being taunted and derided from

sincere convictions that they were poor and puny. In yet another

battle, when Henry and Wilson get a chance to carry their flag, they

fight over who will retain the flag. Wilson got the regement flag,

though later in battle Henry manages to obtain the rebel flag. And

from there, runs to the front of the line with the Liutenant, leading

the way. In battle he fought like a "Major General", though he did

regret leaving the tattered man alone on the battle field, he has

grown-up, and is not afraid of dying anymore.