Henroedipus Knowing one’s strengths and abilities helps people every day to face life’s challenges, whether choosing a career or tackling a home repair project. People constantly learn about themselves, and this knowledge helps people to succeed in everyday life. This concept of understanding oneself is not new; rather, the concept has survived since ancient society. According to the ancient Greeks, “knowing thyself” was an integral part of happiness and success. Both Oedipus from Oedipus Rex and Henry from The Red Badge of Courage face challenges because of not “knowing thyself”; even though the two characters share this burden, their dilemmas vary in essence. Arrogance is a character flaw that can easily come when one does not know oneself.