How Does Henry Fleming Change In The Red Badge Of Courage

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane is a fictional book about a young man that goes to war, not just for his country but, for himself too. Henry Fleming is a young man that has a hard time battling people in war. He hears the courage the older men speak of and pushes it aside with his fear. During his first fight he runs away like the older men said he would but, comes back because of his friend. He gets shot and later on is forced to fight. After he feels what fighting for your country feels like, he develops courage and wisdom.

Henry Fleming is a eighteen year old boy who enlists into the war for romantic reasons. His mother tells him that he must face fear or run away. Henry’s friend, Jim Conklin purposes says that he’ll run away if fellow comrades do to. Henry thinks nothing of this but, nonsense. Fleming is apart of the Union in the 304th New York regiment. The first battle is a complete disaster but, the enemy charges again. Most of the union

workers fled due to how unprepared they were. Fleming hears this and runs away, until he sees the regiment again and the general announces their victory.

Henry runs into the forest ashamed of what he’s done. He see’s a group a wounded soldiers and finds his friend Jim Conklin. Jim was shot in the side and was suffering from blood lost, he refuses treatment from Henry and dies. Henry runs away and joins another column of disarray. He gets hit on the head by a rifle, at this point Henry returns to the regiment even though he’s ashamed. The regiment thinks its from a grazed bullet but, they don’t know the truth.

The next morning, the regiment runs into another group of Confederates. This time Henry proves he’s a capable soldier so no one knows about his cowardice. Afterward, Henry talks to the commanding officer by the stream who, tells him that his regiment has a special reputation. He tells him that the 304th regiment was sacrificed because their “mule driver” and “mud diggers”.

The regiment moves forward into battle, Henry acts as the flag-bearer due to the fall of the color sergeant. A group of Confederates shoot at Henry’s regiment, \they try to retreat but, the general forces them to charge. Henry leads the regiment and escapes injury. Most of the Confederates run but, four are taken prisoner. In the end Henry learns the lesson of courage and what it feels like to fight. He feels what the older men do, the pain and wisdom that changes you in war.

I did enjoy this book because they story plot was intense and detailed. Crane took the time to explain the way Henry felt in his journey. He tells us how the people around him affected him in a positive way and pushed him towards success. This just defines how the people around you can affect you. Henry was ashamed about fleeing but, seeing his friend die due to war just helped him develop courage and humility.

My favorite part of this book was how Henry was afraid of the battle ahead but, then later conquered it. Henry took all his shame and turned it into a feeling only a few get. He became hungry for the battle and pushed his regiment into victory. The most character I am related to is Henry Fleming because we have the same mind set of the shame may take us but, will not ingulf us. We also have the same hungry feeling in battle. He charges in war with nothing to lose and I charge into my sports with the same feeling.

The book was intended for people who like war, motivational speeches. and the change in a soldier's mindset. Henry goes through battles finding himself and how people feel about the war but, later solves the passion he lacked for his country. The major themes for this book are: war, courage, and wisdom. Courage because that's what it took for Henry to go into war and win for his regiment. Wisdom because he needed to know what to do for his country and how to change the reputation of his country. War because Henry didn’t, just fight on the battlefield but, with himself to conquer his cowardice.

The book was well written but, needed a little more dialog and more explanation of the events. Crane needed to lose some detail in the way Henry felt but, more in the adventures Henry went on. The writing style of this book is descriptive and southern. Most of the dialog is like the way they spoke back then. Crane is very detailed in Henry’s emotions and the way he felt. Also Crane refers to Henry as “the youth” in the story, which focuses your attention on most of the younger comrades not just Henry specifically.

The social and philosophical significance is how Henry felt before and after the war.

He struggled to fight and ran away. He felt ashamed of himself and wanted to change. He saw what JIm did and how he put all his effort and life into this war. Henry destroyed his guilt and lead his regiment into victory. He changed from cowardice and fear to courage, humility, and wisdom. My emotional response was motivational because Henry was afraid and his fear almost consumed him but, he rose up and developed the courage to be victorious.

The Red Badge of Courage is a descriptive novel about the courage one can develop if he/she rises above the fear. Henry Fleming was afraid and cowardly but, saw the look in his comrade's eyes and changed his entire mindset on the battle. Henry is my favorite character and the most like me for these reasons, he changed his entire way of thought for his regiment. This book is a well written Civil War novel on how war changes people not just for the negative but, for the positive

too.