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Is Henry A Coward In The Red Badge Of Courage

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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”. Henry Fleming is a coward because he ran away, he faked an injury just to get attention, and he just joined the army just to get known.
First reason Henry Fleming is a coward is because he ran away from war. Henry ran away because he was scared to die and he didn’t come back for a while to his regiment. He was so excited to join the war but when …show more content…

When he ran away he came back and lied to everyone that he got shot in the head. He also told everyone the reason he was missing is because he got lost and couldn’t find his way back. “ I got shot”. Yes it hurts-hurts- a good deal.” he repeated. “ There was a fluttering in his voice,(Crane 79).”He didn't get separated from his regiment, he ran away because he was scared and didn’t have the courage to fight and to help fight with his regiment. He made Winston and his commander believe that he got shot in the head even though he didn't. “ You have been grazed by a ball.” “ It's as if some feller had slammed yeh on the head with a club, (Crane 81).”The doctor knew he was lying but moved on and made everyone think he got shot because he didn’t want to deal with Henry's lies. He lied to everyone and then he left to go “heal”. Lying doesn't get you out of things. When you lie to someone who has been doing something for years they will know you are lying and it ain't true. It's not right to lie either because that also makes you a coward

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