The Red Badge Of Courage Summary

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane is a historical fiction novel centered around a young Union soldier and his struggle with finding courage within himself. It is based in Civil War torn Virginia in 1863. It follows the path of a young soldier who fights with himself about whether he should stay and fight, or run and survive. Henry Flemming must choose between being courageous and preserving his manhood, or saving himself. The book opens to a regiment camp that has yet to see battle. After grumbling about their lack of fighting, they are sent on a two day march to battle. During this time, Henry is afraid that he will desert. Once they get there, his regiment fights valiantly. Henry realizes at that battle, he couldn’t have run if he wanted to, he was

He then joins up with a group of wounded soldiers. He envious of the injured because he sees their wounds as a sign of courage. He begins to talk to a man who has been shot twice, the man then asks where his injury is, so he scampers away. Henry moves up in the group and meets a gravely injured Jim Conklin (a tall soldier from his regiment). After talking, he sees Jim run into some shrubs. Henry and the tattered man follow him, they eventually catch up, they see him die. After Jim died, Henry and the tattered man walk alone in the wood. Yet again the tattered man asks him where he is injured. This time, Henry abandons the man only to immediately find himself on a battlefield. A Union soldier hits him on the head, giving him a large gash. Another soldier helps him back to the camp where he finds his regiment. Delighted, a friend of Henry’s, Wilson, tends to Henry’s gash. The next day, Henry is back on the battlefield, this time with a vengeance. He fights heroically, only to be barraded by another regiment leader who says they fight horribly. He hears this, and vows to prove himself to them. The next battle, the flag bearer is killed, Henry then picks up the flag and