The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane, is the story of a teenager, named Henry Fleming, that enlists in the Union army for the glory of being a soldier. Henry’s fears grow and then cause him to run from battle, he later receives an accidental injury and is mistaken for a battle wound by his friends. When he realizes that he is not the only soldier that is afraid in battle he gains the courage he needs to go back into battle and becomes one of the bravest soldiers in his regiment. Henry as an example of how a person deals with their fears by turning to friends and facing their fears. This is shown when he runs from battle, comes back to regiment to face the consequences, and then goes back into battle to eventually become the color bearer. …show more content…
But his first few weeks of service was spent sitting around and waiting for orders. During this time, some of the older soldiers talk about when the next battle will be and even wager on how many of the “Fresh Fish”, or new recruits, would run. Henry starts to worry about what he may do the the heat of a battle. So he asks his friend Jim, or the Tall soldier, what he would do. Like in the same way we would talk to our friends about a problem in our lives. When Jim tells Henry “if a whole lot of boys started and run then I s’pose I’d run … But if everybody stays and fights, then I’ll stay and fight.” (p. 15), Henry is somewhat comforted by that fact that he is not the only soldier thinking about running. Our parents and/or friends try to give us helpful advice when we are afraid of something. This gives him enough courage to get through the battle at first But when the enemy forces started to charge, Henry gets scared and runs. After a hearing they repelled the enemy, he tries to come back only to run again when a tattered soldier asks him where his Red badge, or wound, is at. On his second retreat he runs into another runaway who hits Henry with his rifle. Being injured and mad at himself, he asks a cheery soldier where his regiment is so that he can