ENG233.01
10 March 2015
Thesis Statement
In the story of The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, Henry Fleming is portrayed
as any normal solider in the Civil War. With a lack of trust at the beginning of the war, a
dismayed romanticism of what war is really like and a constant fear of being attacked, it is easy
to see the fundamental changes that went through Henry’s mind as he slowly transitions from a
horrendous coward to a solider of courage. As a result of his new courage, one must first
understand how he reacted to weaknesses, eventual manhood and his grasp on humanity.
In order to understand what is going on in Henry Flemings mind, one must first
understand the identity of Henry and the overall setting, which is mainly the Civil War battlefield
amongst his troop members. Henry is not only new to the army, but he is new to his troop. Being
his first time going out on the battlefield is most likely the reason he wants to ignore his mother’s
advice on “the quality of his war and acts patriotism” (Crane 3) so badly. It seems that Henry is a
man who would like to find honor among his troop members instead of over his self. This means
he only wants to do what is best for his self. Not only does he have a “lack of distrust” (Crane 3)
for war and his country, but he has a very unclear vision of war. “He had, of course, dreamed of
battles all his live- of vague and bloody conflicts that had thrilled him with their sweep and fire”
(Crane 3). It seems his idea of war is very unclear here. Not only does he shake off his mother’s
advice, but he quickly looks at the idea of war as some type of dream or maybe an out of grasp
concept that he wants to reach, but hopes he does not.
The idea of war being a dream or something that will be out of reach is most likely a
result of his weakness when he runs away from the first scene of battle. Not only does he
completely abandon his troops, but he slips back into the troop numbers pretending nothing
happened. Wilson, Don D, James L. Roberts, and G K. Carey have described Henry Fleming the
best. He is “a young man who joins the Union Army, dreaming of the heroic deeds that he will
perform. During the war, he discovers the kind of romantic warfare he imagined does not exist.
He confronts his cowardice and gains a new, realistic sense of duty and responsibility” (11).
Periodically throughout the Red Badge of Courage it becomes common to see a similar
trait with Henry Fleming. Henry has a naïve form of bravery that is hinted at multiple times, such
as when he gets into an argument with one of the soldiers at camp. Henry is complaining about
“trampling around the country” and the solider begins to yell “You little fool. You little damn’
cuss. You ain’t had that there coat and them pants on for six months, and yet you talk as
if-“(Crane 19). Later on Henry is helping an older gentleman who was wounded during battle
