Red Badge of Courage
Before the war Henry has romanticized ideas of glory and courage but when he nears war his courage falters and he tries to validation of his fear in his peers. When confronted with violence Henry is like a machine fighting off the enemy. This courage Henry had to stand his ground and fight disappeared at the second battle and Henry fled during the battle. The Red Badge of Courage follows Henry’s changing ideas of courage until he finds a lasting form of it. Henry search for courage leads searching for answers in his peers, through his imagination, and the dead bodies he comes across.
At the beginning of the novel Henry has his idea of war and he believes that if he goes to war he will gain glory. Henry never questions
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“A lad whose face had borne an expression of exalted courage…was, at an instant, smitten abject…he saw the fleeting forms…Directly he began to speed toward the rear in great leaps.” (Crane 75-76). During his second battle Henry was tired and unlike the first battle he did not fall into the “battle sleep” where the fighting became automatic for him. Instead Henry was afraid and since he had not yet found courage he saw the other soldiers fleeing and so he fled himself. At first Henry believed that to obtain courage you needed to be wounded and after he fled without a wound he believed everybody would see him for the coward he was. “He wished that he, too, had a wound, a red badge of courage” (Crane 100). So Henry searches to try and get his “red badge of courage” that to him would prove that he has courage. Through the start of the novel Henry already has multiple changes of his idea of courage. From the start where he believed that he would obtain courage through battle to him trying to find courage through the dead he comes across as well as his fellow soldiers. To Henry believing that he needed a wound to show that he has
Henry was confident in the first battle. It was his first fierce battle during his time there. When henry fled from the second battle he thought he didn't have a chance. Henry didn't feel like a cog in a machine anymore. Henry's pride was the reason he was able to keep going even though he fled.
Henry was a novice fighter coming into his first battle, Battles can be scary especially being new to it and not having experience. The first battle made Henry nervous. Henry didn't want to be a whimp and run again so he fought. He had to show he was not a weak soldier. Henry wasn't expected to be a great soldier at first.
In the slave narrative “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” Douglass lacks a great deal of courage at the beginning of the story. Douglass runs away in fear after a brutal beating from Mr. Covey. Douglass was so afraid and worried as to what might happen to him if he stays with Mr. Covey. In the film, The Red Badge of Courage, Henry has a similar experience. As Henry heads to the battlefield, fear overcomes him, he only had the courage to stay for the first leg of the battle because he soon flees the sight.
At the beginning of the story, Henry starts off as a self-absorbed youth that wants nothing more that to be thought of as a brave courageous man. Henry’s longing to live outweighs his desire to sacrifice himself for his country. When he finally realizes that there are more things to worry about rather than himself, he becomes more daring and manly. Henry’s big act of bravery is when he carried the white flag at the front of the line which is immensely brave. All in all, Henry overcame his selfish ways by thinking of others and carrying the flag in the chaos of the war (Red
In “the Red Badge of Courage” the Narrator only focuses on one main character “the youth,” Henry Fleming's is more of an outsider. Henry is just watching other soldiers fight while he’s doing his own. “The separation was as great to him as if they had marched with weapons of flame and banners of sunlight. He could never be like them.” It tells us how isolated he is.
What makes someone a coward? Lacking Courage, Runs away from their problems, and leaving other people to defend for themselves? Overall most people share these similar traits, such as lacking courage, running away from their problems, and leaving other people to defend for themselves. In the Red Badge of Courage Henry is asking himself if he should stay in his regiment to help fight or leave and make them defend for themselves. Henry's actions throughout the novel may cause the readers to ask, “Is Henry a coward”.
Although, guilt soon swarmed throughout him, as he realized his actions. Hearing about the victory, his regiment accomplished, he scoured the land high and low, trying to locate his troops. Some added help he finally did. He laid his eyes upon many wounded soldiers, and envy came to him, their wounds, Red badge or courage 's was a sign, a symbol of bravery and perseverance. His body had one wound, with no courage behind it.
After King George had declared all thirteen american colonies to be in a state rebellion, Henry decided to make a call for action in order to prepare for war against them. In order to captivate his audience and make them understand his message, Henry used rhetorical strategies. In his famous
Henry continues by emotionally describing how he is ready to endure any pain that will come his way from finally learning the truth. He feels he is ready to stand up and be change that must come from the colonies, despite any despair he might face. 2. “There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged!
Henry claims “Give me liberty or give me death!” In this statement Henry symbolizes such a great extent of passion towards the fight for independence through that quote. He also states “What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased and slavery?”
This passage gives the reader the idea that Henry’s inner battle is over, and the novel comes to a close shortly after. Stephen Crane, author of The Red Badge of Courage, writes Henry Fleming deeply flawed yet morally virtuous through his thoughts in and after battle, how he treats his friends, and the changes that he experiences as a character to show the triumph of bravery over faintheartedness. As Henry wrestles with
Henry believes he has committed treason if he does not fight for freedom of the colonies. He also believes it is disloyal towards God. He uses religion to connect with the colonists because he knew they would if God was involved because they are exceedingly religious. In the most famous line in the speech, Henry uses pathos: “Forbid it, Almighty God!
This is a clear sign that Henry was not prepared to enlist in the war and was. A true hero would have stayed through it all and would have never given up. At the beginning of the story when only wanted to go against what his mother said, he was immature and misunderstanding. Henry’s mother told him, “Henry, don’t be a fool” (Crane 4). Even though his mother attempted change his mind, the next morning he set out to enlist.
A Red Convertible with Many Meanings Throughout the course of a given year, approximately 5.2 million people are affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Nearly 7.8% of the United States population will experience PTSD in their lifetime, and 3.6% of adults ages eighteen to fifty-four will experience PTSD (“What is PTSD?”). Henry is one of these people. Using symbolism and foreshadowing within the story, “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich portrays a few motifs throughout the story and these include the bond of brotherhood, sacrifice, and the effects of war.
Along the journey from home as they go to Washington, Henry and his regiments are treated so well that he now believes “he must be a hero” with “the strength to do mighty deeds of arms.” Contrary to his expectation he does not become a hero immediately he is confronted with self-doubt. He is caught up in a dream with “a thousand-tongued fear