The Red Badge of Courage
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The Red Badge of Courage (1895) is a short novel by Stephen Crane about the meaning of courage, as it is discovered by Henry Fleming, a recruit in the American Civil War. It is considered one of the best American war texts ever written, even though the author was born after the events and never saw battle himself. He conducted many interviews with veterans in his preparation and he created what is at times an incredibly realistic text. His writing is notable for its stark and at times bleak style, often addressing uncomfortable issues on a deeply psychological level in a way that was ground breaking in the genre. Though Crane never names the battle in which Fleming participates, most critics believe that its events closely parallel those of the Battle of Chancellorsville.
The book was made into a film by John Huston in 1951 (see The Red Badge of Courage (film)) and a made-for-television version starring Richard Thomas appeared in 1974.
List of main characters
- Henry Fleming; aka the young soldier
- Jim Conklin; aka the tall soldier
- Wilson; aka the loud soldier
Fleming does in fact survive the first battle by running away and we are led through his emotional journey, as he tries to make sense of what just happened, the reality of battle, and his own role within it, often having rather selfish and egocentric conclusions. The title itself refers to a wound gained through battle that Henry at one point yearns for. Crane uses colors to represent various moods or alignments in the book. They usually change in time with Henry's mood. A river will be a dark blue, then will look just like a sapphire, and the sun will look like a sick yellow, transformed into gold.