Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - English Red Badge of Courage Red Badge of Courage Adolescence brings about many changes as a youth becomes an adult. For many people this passage is either tedious and painful or simple and barely noticeable. The anguish and torture that is usually associated with rites of passage and growing up is visible is Stephen Crane's Red Badge of Courage. Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, the novel reveals how the atrocities of war precipitate emotional growth and maturity, as well as acts dignity, individualism, and, of course, courage. In the course of the novel, Henry Fleming, a young soldier from New York State, gives up his romantic dreams of war once he makes it through the trials of battle and begins to understand the true meaning of courage. The experience of war transforms even Wilson, a loud, headstrong, and proud soldier, to overcome his anxiety and to mature into manhood. Lastly, the challenges of war bring out the best of Jim Conklin, Henry's friend from home, who displays saintly, unself-conscious bravery, as well as Henry's mother and Lieutenant Hasbrouck. For all five characters, war turns out to be more gruesome and inhumane than ever imagined, just as courage turns out to be a matter of animal instinct rather than individual grace. To begin, the Civil War's hardships compel Henry Fleming into a journey of self-discovery and draws out the courage deep down within his soul. As the novel opens, Henry, determined and anxious to fight in the war, fantasizes grand battles and heroic struggles for life and death; neither the Union cause nor the possibility of cowardice arise in his initial thoughts of battle. However, once he leaves home, Henry's visions of glory sink quickly as he becomes concerned about his potential. While lying in his tent, realizing that he was finally about to enter his first battle, it occurs to Henry ". . . that perhaps in a battle he might run. He was forced to admit that as far as war was concerned he knew nothing of himself" (10). Eventually, Henry faces his ultimate enemy—himself. Henry wants to be a legendary hero like the ones he has read about, but at the same time, his fears nag at him, making him doubt his own self-confidence. He later questions his fellow soldiers in an attempt to gain some confirmation on his anxieties and wonders whether they will accept him later should he run from the battle. Such questions suggest the constant dilemma experienced by inexperienced, young adolescence, such as conformity, peer pressure, and acceptance. Crane communicates the initial stage of Henry's transformation when Henry expresses uncertainty of who he is. At last, Henry becomes increasingly aware of the laws of nature and that can not escape death. Henry fights well in the first battle against the rebels, but during the second clash, he loses his nerve and flees in terror thinking that he is about to be eaten by "a red and green monster", or the monster of death. To reorganize his thoughts, he walks deeper into the woods not to learn from nature, but to justify his running from danger by a squirrel running away from a thrown pinecone. He then comes across a dead man leaning beside a tree. Crane notes Henry's reaction to the corpse: "The youth gave a shriek as he confronted the thing. He was for moments turned to stone before it. He remained staring into the liquid-looking eyes. The dead man and the living man exchanged a long look. Then the youth cautiously put one hand behind him and brought it against a tree. Leaning upon this he retreated, step by step, with his face still toward the thing" (64). Because the squirrel fled from the pine cone, Henry believes nature's law to be that threatened animals flee from danger. Now, Henry reaches a place in the forest that resembles a "chapel", an incredible metaphor for the heart of nature. Here, he realizes that the image of the decaying man truly reflects the laws of nature–not the fleeing squirrel, but the death he had been trying so hard to escape at the battle site. When the dead soldier and the living one stand facing each other, the youth realizes that although he can cowardly run from a battle, he can not evade the fate of death. Once again horrified, Henry runs away from the green corpse, but in a different manner than when he fled the "green monster" during the battle. This time, he tries to sense/observe the corpse. Towards, the end of the novel, Henry discards the expectations of his peers and declares his individuality and courage. During the final battle, Henry runs "like a madman . . . and the scene [is] a wild blur. Pulsating saliva [stands] at the corners of his mouth" (146). Henry's madness is derived from the pressures of war. The pressures from the commanders and the enemies make him speed forward toward the firing guns. Crane defines courage as the "sublime absence of selfishness". Thus, Henry, aware that he must face some form of death, moves beyond his terrified and cautious childhood that prompted him to desert the first battle early on, and, instead, courageously rushes to rescue the falling American flag. (147). Henry feels it is his personal duty to save that which represents his regiment's achievements and is a tangible sign of their success. He risks being shot at–as he is an easy target–and displays courage and willpower. In short, Henry is somewhat wiser to the brutal affairs of war, and as a result, he understands more about himself and his own prowess. Henry can see himself as the hero of the group, for his seizure of the flag is Henry's ultimate rite of passage. Like Henry, Wilson also begins the book as an immature, boastful young soldier, but through battle he reexamines himself and gains wisdom and compassion. At first, Wilson As the regiment prepares for their first battle, Henry Fleming asks Wilson whether he shares his fears, but the loud soldier spouts confidently, "We've got ‘em now. At last, by the eternal thunders, we'll lick ‘em good!" (23). His joy irritates Henry, who challenges Wilson, saying that he may well run when the battle comes. Wilson replies cooly, "Oh, that's all true, I s'pose . . . but I'm not going to skedaddle. The man that bets on my running will lose his money, that's all" (24). Henry is not the only one experiencing problems with bravery. Despite his outward appearance, Wilson is similarly insecure and fears fighting in the upcoming battle. He copes with his fright in a different manner than Henry. Rather than ponder over his fears, Wilson obnoxiously exhibits that he feels sure of himself. In fact, just before the battle begins, Wilson hands Henry a packet of letters for his family after his death, for Wilson is certain he is about to be killed. By the battle's end, Wilson matures and develops. "The loud soldier" is not more. The narrator now calls him "the friend". In other words, he has fundamentally changed to the point that he needs a new name. Henry notices these changes himself. Wilson becomes irritated easily, and is no longer interested in demonstrating his valor. the loud soldier who boasts about how well he will fight but through battle gains a sense of tranquility Bibliography: Word Count: 1225
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