The Red Badge of Courage is a Civil War novel that was written by Stephen Crane in 1895. This novel was written two days during the Civil War. The novel deals with a young man who’s determined to go to war and serve his country. But when the time comes to fight on the battlefield, he becomes afraid. Crane’s message of the “red badge” is significant to a bloody wound that appears on a fallen soldier. Crane has written a book around one character by the name of Henry Fleming. Henry is one who lacks bravery and shows cowardice.

Henry Fleming is a new beginner in serving the country and he has no idea of what he’s getting himself into. For example, as he stood on the battlefield, he becomes blinded by thoughts of his gun not being loaded (p.35). When you’re a first timer in something, your head begins to fill up with thoughts that are irrelevant to the situation. He stood there trying to rally his faltering intellect, but it wasn’t working. Another way was how perspiration streamed down his face (p.35). Having sweat stream down your face is a sign that you are nervous because you don’t know what’s going to happen next. Lastly, he had a thought of amputating himself from the conflict (pg.36). Henry’s character more so plays a bystander in majority of the fight. He stands and watch others rush to fight the other side and he’s just standing there looking confused. Because Henry didn’t have much courage to show bravery, he tended to become a coward.

Throughout the book Henry showed that he was a coward of violence. For example, he thought he was going to suffocate (p.39). When feeling like you’re going to suffocate you breathe in deep and heavily. He became aware of the foul atmosphere. His heart was racing and he took a drink from his canteen. Secondly, when he awakened from the conflict, he was curious to know if the fight was over (p.41). He looked at the last scene. Next, he’d quivered with nervous weakness and the muscles of his arms felt numb (p.43). He was feeling anxious and wondered about what to do next. Though Henry was a coward and showed lack of bravery, he’d still came to the understanding of what was happening.

Henry Fleming is a character that didn’t know what he was getting himself into when he’d enlisted for the war. Stephen Crane wanted to tell the story of how a soldier’s first experience on the battlefield can leave an emotional impact. The relation that the red badge of courage has to a history book is the meaning of the title. The significance is the bloody wound of the fallen soldiers. The Civil War is known as the Great War. The Red Badge of Courage provides a glimpse to what being on the battlefield for the first time was like. It wasn’t easy being a beginner. The story traces the emotional trajectory of one young recruit. It describes the loss of individuality as a key part of “the war machine”. It also educates others on the past events that led to the present. The way the novel educates a first timer is by graphically explaining that day when the Union and Confederates stepped foot in front of each other.

Sometimes when going to battle, it can give you cold feet. Like Henry. Henry Fleming was a young recruit who showed determination to enlist in the war. But he was a soldier who struggled to show bravery and was a coward to fight on the battlefield when it came time to. But in the end, he stepped up to the plate and showed bravery. Though he passed out and showed weakness during the battle, he didn’t run away in fear. He stood tall with his rifle. The Civil War was known to be the Great War for the simple fact that it was one of the most interesting wars between the Unions and the Confederates. All gave some and some gave all. Everyone tried their hardest to fight and win for their side but the red badge of courage began to appear for some. The Red Badge of Courage is a fiction novel that entertains young educated students about a person’s war experience.