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Essay / Understanding the Story Behind The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
The Red Badge of Courage is an account of the Civil War in which Henry Fleming first fought alongside the Army of Union, leaving his mother and farm to enlist. He is eager to fight because he has heard many fantasies and joys regarding battle; this view will change as he fights. The main plot is the battle between the Union and the Confederates. In the first battle Henry fights in, he fights decently, but in the second battle he becomes frightened and runs away, fighting his internal conflict; realizing that fighting war may not be as intense as it seemed, while experiencing mixed emotions of guilt and reason. As he walks through the forest, he discovers scraps of information about the war in which he does not know who won; he also finds a “man in tatters” and a group of wounded soldiers; among them was his good friend Jim Conklin, who died from his combat wound. The climax occurs when Henry captures the Confederate flag; resolution comes when Henry and Wilson together lead their regiment to victory. Henry also reflects on his war experience and questions whether he is indeed a brave man. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayHenry Fleming: Henry Fleming, the novel's protagonist, abandons his mother and his farm to enlist. He fought alongside the Union army against the Confederates. He changes character as the novel progresses. At the beginning of the novel he is a very naive young man, but towards the end of the novel he is a rounded character because he wants to experience combat, but once he enlists he is not sure may the experience be a good one He is also a complex character because at the beginning of the novel he is very eager to lead the battle, but towards the end of the novel Henry has transformed into a young man. He is also a dynamic character because he is a changed man, from young and naive to mature and understanding. During the first battle, he and his regiment fight well, but during the second battle, he becomes intimidated and runs away from the battlefield and heads into a forest. While walking around, he sees a lot of people and gets information about the battle, which he doesn't really know who won. He finds a group of wounded soldiers lying on the ground and one of them is his good friend, Jim Conklin. He also meets a ragged soldier, whom Henry finds annoying. His internal conflict involves facing his own fears by returning to the regiment and fighting the war. We see Henry's inner thoughts: "There was the delusion which meets despair and death, and which is careless and blind to probabilities. It is a temporary but sublime absence of selfishness.” Towards the end of the novel, he earns his honor, is courageous and discovers that he has transformed into a man.Wilson: Wilson, also the protagonist of this novel, is nicknamed "the noisy soldier". He also changes a lot over the course of the novel. At first he is very loud and talkative; When Henry returns to the regiment, he has transformed into a calm and caring person, which means he is a rounded and dynamic character. He is also very boastful, “…and I didn’t say I was the bravest man in the world, either. I said I was going to do my part of the fighting – that’s what I said. And I am too. Who are you, anyway? You speak as if you think you are Napoleon Bonaparte. » (26) When Henry returns from wandering, Wilson shows compassion for him and offers him his blanket: “Put him in my blanket. » (104) This shows.