Jim's Symbolism In The Red Badge Of Courage

The opening moments of The Red Badge of Courage transported the reader to an army camp of “blue-clothed men” (1); “a certain tall soldier” (1), known as Jim, proclaimed an end to the army’s long-encamped state. “A youthful private” (3), whose name is Henry, returned to his hut with the news and pondered a possible result of the army’s movement: the men would finally fight in a battle. Battles infatuated Henry, but he believed they would never occur again—great battles were a relic from history. His mother tried to prevent his enlistment, but eventually he committed to the army and marched away with this final plead of his mother: “take good care of [yourself]…and be a good boy.” (5, 7) Now, Henry struggled with a daunting question: would he

When the regiment began to move, Henry concentrated on his uncontrollable fear and uncertainty while the other soldiers enjoyed their marching time and the prospect of battle. One particular soldier even endeavored to commandeer a horse; a determined girl and the “[jeers]” (18) of the soldiers forced “the piratical private” (18) to forfeit the mission and return without the horse. While camping “at nightfall…[in] the fields” (18), Henry removed himself from the rest of the soldiers to continue pondering the deep question of his mind; he thought “that he was not formed for a soldier” (19). When “the loud soldier,” (19) called Wilson, joined Henry, the two talked of the upcoming battle; and Henry asked Wilson: “How do you know you won’t run when the time comes?” (20)* Wilson retorted the idea, and when Henry questioned the man’s bravery, Wilson left “the youth.” Henry felt like “a mental outcast” (21) among men who appeared to contemplate the thought of war without

In the early morning, “the tall soldier” awakened Henry from slumber, and the soldiers began to race along a forest pathway. The crowd of breathless soldiers surrounded and trapped Henry so that he possessed no opportunity to run even if he desired to; he determined that “they [the government]” (24) were herding the regiment like animals to be slaughtered. The soldiers rushed up an embankment and witnessed several small battles; the view from a protected distance “fascinated [Henry]” (25). The regiment, however, viewed the mournful characteristics of war as they passed “a dead soldier” (25) whose feet lay covered with tattered shoes that displayed his impoverished lifestyle. Time ambled slowly by as the men traveled and only encouraged the emotions of fear and distrust among some men, including Henry; when the regiment did pause, most soldiers began to construct a few mounds of protection before they proceeded to march once more. Henry’s feelings fluctuated from being calm to shivering with fear or despairing of his life and resolving to die; finally, “the loud soldier” (31) confided that this would probably be his last battle and gave Henry an envelope to give to the soldier’s family, which confused Henry to an even greater