A Literary Essay Sample on the Red Badge of Courage Novel

This paper will examine the central character in the novel "Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane. In the novel Jim Conklin, who is a soldier run back from the river to the camp where he was doing some small washing. In the camp, Jim tells his colleagues about the rumours he has heard that morrow they might go into a battle. This provokes much excitement, and debate among the soldiers others term Jim as a liar this issue of conflict lingers in the head of Henry Fleming, who this issue of battle is the first one to participate.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Henry, right in his mind thinks about glory this has always been his thoughts since childhood. Henry wants to prove his manhood that he can since this is the only way he can prove his manhood. He also remembers his mum's advice never does anything he would be ashamed to tell her. His mother advises him not to execute duty to come home for her mum to care for him. This illusion gives Henry more courage to go to the war and fight as a man. His life in the camp has made him not to abandon thoughts of glory. Jim s argument that he would better go for a battle rather than go home and be seen as a coward further increases the amount of courage Henry Fleming portrays.

The next morning the soldiers learn that maybe Jim's claims of a war was mistaken. This hesitation makes Henry worry more about his courage. A day later the armies are given orders to march, in the course of1 events they start to wonder whether they will see a battle. This argument continues to torment in the mind of Henry, who worries whether he would he ever return from the battle. This also prompts Henry to ask Wilson whether he can imagine himself running from combat. Wilson practically tells him that he would do his part in the battle this statement confuses Henry even more making him feel even more alone.

One morning while in the camp they a crack of gunfire and the regiment begins to run away. Henry starts to think in his mind whether to run but, unfortunately, the army would catch him up. While marching forward they get to see a corpse of a dead soldier. This occurrence makes Henry shiver more than before hence ends up cursing the commanding officers who are encouraging the troops to move forward. As they come closer, the sounds of the gunfire grow this makes Wilson give Henry a yellow envelope to take to his family in case he might not turn out from the battle.

When the wars draw closer, Henry and his group loads their weapons ready to confront the enemy. In his juggling mind Henry is still convinced that when he has to face the worst the war has to offer, he might differentiate himself from the others not by how much bravery he fights the opponents, but how quickly he runs to save his dear life. Henry his desire for a noble name makes his enlistment in the first place he feels little obligations to earn the title of a hero. Other than the lavish expenditure of food, smiles, and many other things he meets on the way to Washington proves to be enough to make him believe that he deserves such enormous rewards.

In conclusion, the lieutenants beat a soldier who tries to retreat from the front line. The captain is shot and collapses this makes the enemy soldiers to retreat. This shows a sense of victory to Henry's group. Henry cannot believe that the men in blue can lose the battle. He looks for ways to tell his fellow troops to scorn duty. Eventually the men in blue retreats hence making him more desperate and overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of gunfire. At last Henry proves that he is a courageous soldier, and hence he has proven himself to be an experienced. This victory has made him earn the title of a veteran fighter.

Works Cited

Binder, Henry. "THE" RED BADGE OF COURAGE" NOBODY KNOWS." Studies in the Novel (1978): 9-47.

Binder, Henry. "THE" RED BADGE OF COURAGE" NOBODY KNOWS" Studies in the Pease, Donald. "Fear, Rage, and the Mistrials of Representation in the Red Badge of Courage." American Realism: New Essays (1982): 155-75

Crane, Stephen, and Mary R. Reichardt. The red badge of courage. Ignatius Press, 2012.Crane, Stephen. "The Red Badge of Courage. 1895." NY: Norton (1994).Novel (1978): 9-47.