The Red Badge of Courage Essay

Henry enlists in the Union Army during the Civil War even though his mother refused for him to go. The reason why he wanted to enlist in the army was because he had dreamed of fighting in battle his whole life. “ He had burned several times to enlist … He had read of marches, sieges, conflicts, and he had longed to see it all … The newspapers, the gossip of the village, his own picturings, had aroused him to an uncheckable degree.” This is the first sign of Henry’s re-action to decide to join the army. He did not choos

The Red Badge of Courage is interpreted as a simple war story about a young boy who develops into a man by his experiences in battle. The naturalistic aspect of the story is what really shows the reality of the story. Henry was just reacting to his environment. The newspapers and town gossip led him to enlist, the actions of the other soldiers made him stay and also made him flee, his shame made him act braver, etc. Chance and fate also played a major part. He got injured so he would have a “red badge” to show off and also he was in the right place and at the right time when the flag was falling. Even though Henry changes into a brave man and becomes a hero, only the reader knows what led him to his fate and to act the way he did.

The story starts when Henry is waiting in camp for the army to move. Most of the soldiers in his regiment are also “fresh fish” -- inexperienced boys nervous to go off to battle. Stephen Crane presents Henry’s first dilemma that will lead to the development of Henry’s character. The problem is Henry’s doubt of his bravery. “He tried to mathematically prove himself he would not run from battle.” During a short conversation with his friend Jim, he asks, “ Did you ever think you might run yourself, Jim?” Jim tells him, “…and if a whole lot of boys started to run, why, I s’pose I’d start to run … But if everybody was a-standing and a-fighting, why, I’d stan

Some topics in this essay:
Jim” Jim, Civil War, Badge Courage, Henry Henry, Crane Henry’s, Stephen Crane, story henry, chance fate, Red Badge, red badge courage, “red badge courage”, enlist army, civil war, “ youth, fate henry, environment instinct, rest soldiers, fighting battle, “red badge,