In the red badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane, Henry Flemming decides to enlist in the war because of the glory he thinks he will enjoy. Henry Flemming is a Union soldier in the war. Once Henry is a member of the Union regiment, he realizes there is no glory to war. Henry endures many episodes of realism and of naturalism. The Confederates won the two-day battle in which Henry matures tremendously. Henry Flemming matured greatly because of his dealings in the war.
One of Henry’s dealings in the war was death. Henry’s comrade Jim Conklin died. Henry had known Jim since grade school. Jim seemed to be Henry’s comfort during the war.
Henry also watched another soldier die. This made Henry think maybe death was the easy way to escape his fear of war. Henry did not want to die like the many soldiers he had seen. Henry felt vaguely “that death must make a first choice of the men who were nearest.” Death seems to have aged Henry emotionally. He no longer had the idea that war was glorious; war was truly cruel.
Another one of Henry’s dealings in the war was fear. Fear truly matured Henry. Henry was terribly frightened of the war. He tried to run in hopes of never having to return again.
“He ran like a blind man. Two or three times he fell down.”Since he had turned his back upon the fight, his fears had been wondrously magnified.” Death put a burden of fear into Henry’s mind and he was determined to avoid it. Shame, another one of Henry’s dealings in the war, also contributed to Henry’s growth and maturity. Henry felt so much shame from running away from his fears and the war that he had to return to his regiment. There was only one problem; Henry was afraid of what the members of his regiment would think of him when he returned. “He wondered what they would remark when later he appeared in camp.
The Research paper on A Major Problem In Understanding World War Ii Is Dealing part 1
A major problem in understanding World War II is dealing with its ironies. Germans mastered most of the military lessons of World War I, but lost; Anglo-Americans and Russians learned little or nothing from the earlier conflict, but won. Germans hailed Adolf Hitler as the greatest German in history; but had Otto von Bismarck rather than Hitler ruled the Third Reich, there would probably not have ...
His mind heard howls of derision. Their destiny would not enable them to understand his point of view.” Henry’s shame did prompt him to return to his regiment. The regiments reaction, however, was different than Henry had imagined. They did understand his point of view.
In Stephen Crane’s novel, the Red Badge of Courage, Henry Flemming is defined as a hero. A hero accomplishes something for himself. He does not boast about what he does but he knows he is of value. Henry saw life and death as it really was, which truly helped him grow. Though the dead took away his dignity and also the dignity of others, Henry decided he was worth something and that death is not the solution to his fear. Henry realized that he had to face his fear head on…
Henry would not let his fear overrule him. Henry did finally recieve his ” red badge of courage.” He was wounded in his scapula or shoulder area. Henry was truly matured by his “red badge of courage” and he did become a hero; if not to others, then to himself. Henry Flemming is truly a man of value.
