A Comparison Of Courage In Crane And Life Of A Slave Girl

Slaves, Yankees, and Gunpowder

There is no denying that throughout human history there has been a common notion that if there is a belief worth fighting, courage is required. The movie The Red Badge of Courage by screenwriter John Huston based on the book of the same title by Steven Crane and “Life of a

Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs, focuses on courage-related content. The authors display complex themes such as courage and fear, adding depth to their characters. The main characters of both pieces of literature are different in their gender, race, and background. Yet, within these literary works, the characters show courage either in their fight for freedom or in their fight at war, establishing their ability to overcome internal battles

The night was so intensely dark that I could see nothing. I raised the window very softly and jumped out. Large drops of rain were falling, and the darkness bewildered me. I dropped to my knees and breathed a short prayer to God for guidance and protection. I groped my way to the road and rushed towards the town with almost lightning speed” (Jacobs 554). This quote emphasizes Jacobs's cleverness for her stealth is what

Madison 2 carried her throughout her daring escape. Harriet Jacobs outmaneuvered Mr. Flint’s manipulation. Though Jacobs is afraid, signified by her prayer for guidance, she is determined to leave Mr. Flint’s home. Jacobs's prayer represents her seeking divine guidance and support to fight for her freedom. Harriet Jacobs's fight for freedom results in her being at war with Mr.

Flint.

Similarly, the movie The Red Badge of Courage details the courageous war adventures of

Henry Fleming, a Yankee soldier in the Civil War. Henry Fleming, serving on the side of the

Union, is fighting for the freedom of enslaved African Americans. After the Yankees’ flag bearer suffers a fatal gunshot wound, Henry Fleming grabs the flag and takes charge, and leads

The courageous war adventures of Henery Fleming establish his character as a noble fighter regardless of the precarious environment he finds himself in.

The element that makes these pieces of literature remarkable is their ability to establish the concept of fear and anxiety within their main characters, and subsequently the main character’s potential to overcome it. Harriet Jacobs's autobiography and Henry Fleming’s story enlighten audiences about the horrors many slaves and soldiers were subjected to during the

Civil War period. Harriet Jacobs writes, “I was about to risk everything on the throw of a die; and if I failed, O what would become of me and my poor children? They would be made to suffer for my fault” (Jacobs 554). Jacobs later notes, “I feared the sight of my children would be

Madison 3 too much for my full heart, but I could not go out into the uncertain future without one last look”(Jacobs 554). These excerpts demonstrate the parental anxiety Jacobs experienced before leaving Mr. Flint’s home and thus her children. Harriet Jacobs was a single parent of two young children, embarking on a journey that would require her to separate herself from them. This