Red Badge of Courage Essay: Battle for Adulthood :: Red Badge Courage Essays

A Battle for Adulthood in Red Badge of Courage Throughout the novel, The Red Badge of Courage, written by Stephen Crane, a theme is portrayed within a battle that takes place during the Civil War. It is that each person must find the courage to win his or her win battle for maturity or adulthood. A soldier, who is also the main character, enthalpy Fleming, exemplifies this theme. Henry Fleming begins as an im ripe soldier who enlists in the army without knowing a reason why. Henry has a romantic view of the war, and expects it to be glorious They battles might not be distinctly Homeric, nevertheless there seemed to be practically glory in them. He Henry had read of marches, sieges, conflicts, and he had longed to see it all. Henry obviously lacks maturity because he was very determined to enlist in the army, but tries to blame the government for being at war. Henry starts to realize that there are no heroes and that there are no individuals He had grown to bet himself merely as a part of a vast blue demonstration. Therefore he is beginning to fight the battle within himself into adulthood. Henry looses roughly of his selfishness and gains concern for others, another stepping stone He felt the subtle battle brotherhood more potent even than the cause for which he was fighting. Henry desert a dying soldier and runs from a battle, but recognizes that running away was wrong. It isnt a mature action, but he is mature to realize the order of running. With the knowledge of his past mistakes, Henry goes into battle without thinking about the past and fights heroically. After a general makes a derogatory remark about Henry and his comrades, it reveals Henrys change of attitude. He accepts the comment without rebellion and fights with courage. Because of the success of fighting bravely, Henry has the self-esteem to deal with his mistakes as an adult. As a mature person he can learn from his mistakes.