Impressionism In Red Badge Of Courage, And They Both Die At The End

Impressionism in Literature

Impressionism viewpoints like Henry, Holden, and Mateo’s can help character development. Impressionism show’s a character’s impression of reality rather than objective reality. Impressionism is exhibited through the novels The Red Badge of Courage, The Catcher in the Rye, and They Both Die at the End which helps show the main character's growth and the development of themes throughout the novels. Henry is blinded by his impressionistic view of war, and believes it to be something glorious. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, is centered around Henry’s struggle to become a man as he fights in the Civil War. Throughout the beginning of the novel Henry does not see the materiality of war and instead thinks of it as a way to prove himself. He says things like “He wished that he, too, had a wound, a red badge of courage.“ (Crane 54), without even realizing what he’s saying. There are numerous occasions where Henry downplays the intensity of war by over-simplifying it. Additionally he states that “He finally concluded that the only way to prove himself was to go into the blaze, and then figuratively to watch his legs to discover their merits and faults.” (Crane 13). He focuses on the courage and bravery

Salinger, Holden does not accept change and has the impression that he has to grow up. Muchlike Henry, Holden has an impressionistic view of the world and its people. Through the duration of the novel Holden denies the fact that he needs help and instead tries to be grown up. His main impression of the world is phonies of society and believes everyone to be phony. For example, he constantly calls people and phrases phony. Additionally, he has the impression that he’d be better off if he left home and stayed by himself. He also denies the fact that he himself is phony, which is him ignoring the objective reality. Holden’s impression of the world helps contribute to the theme of adulthood is