The Red Badge of Courage

Mar 21, 2007

matt rated it

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Recommends it for: everyone

This book made my heart race and made me hear gunfire.

I think Crane manages to create the perfect visceral novel. Sure there is symbolism if you want it, but at its core this book is about experience.

Like a delicate flower, this book is easily ruined by too much prodding attention. Just read it, take it in, let yourself get dragged into the story and imagery. Don't think, don't read it closely to prepare for a paper or discussion, just experience it.

I would...more

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Nov 29, 2008

Emily rated it

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Shelves: classics

I feel almost guilty about how much I disliked this book. I know it's an important piece of literature, that it changed the way people viewed war, it's an American classic, etc. etc. But I could NOT stand it. I thought it was boring and I didn't really care what happened to the main character. I was totally distracted by how the author called him "the youth" instead of his name and I had to have my brother-in-law explain to me what the point of it was since I just couldn't tell. M...more

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Aug 01, 2011

Nathan Albro rated it

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I found it disappointing that The Red Badge of Courage, an American classic, was dull, had poor pacing, and lackluster characterization. There might be historical value in this novel, written by Stephen Crane who was born nearly five years after America’s civil war ended, but there is little to enjoy. The novel does focus on the psyche of the protagonist – more so then on the war itself, but I found myself not caring. I didn’t care for the characters nor did I care about the battles or the wa...more

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Dec 15, 2011

Moses Kilolo rated it

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When Henry Flemming set off to join the war, he perhaps did not have a clear picture of what lay before him, what his decision meant. Like every other young man (across the divide of time and circumstance) he envisions his return as a hero - an achieved man. but does he pause to consider the damn hardship of the battlefield? Perhaps not! At some point he actually runs, but his conscience torments him. A series of happenings (accidental- i think) push him back to track, and there he tries to prov...more

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May 05, 2010

Erik Graff rated it

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Recommends it for: kids

Recommended to Erik by: no one

Shelves: literature

I read this edition sometime during grade school, having heard of it somewhere--not difficult during the Centennial when the papers, radio, television and movies were full of it. Although now so much time has passed that I mix up its story with the one by Bierce about the wounded soldiers crawling for water at night, the part about the older man asking Henry about his wounds and Henry's embarrassment struck me deeply at the time. Children know embarrassment!

So big a deal was the Ce...moreI read this edition sometime during grade school, having heard of it somewhere--not difficult during the Centennial when the papers, radio, television and movies were full of it. Although now so much time has passed that I mix up its story with the one by Bierce about the wounded soldiers crawling for water at night, the part about the older man asking Henry about his wounds and Henry's embarrassment struck me deeply at the time. Children know embarrassment!

So big a deal was the Centennial for the kids at the Oak Ridge Elementary School that we celebrated it almost daily. Our Meadowdale community of identical (except for color) houses for veterans of WWII and Korea was filled with kids, so many that they built the school especially for us. Being carved out of farmland and woods in unincorporated Kane County, Illinois, our winding streets described an oasis of civilization surrounded by wooded hills, creeks and abandoned fields.

Below my house was one of the many creeks, alongside which was the road the school was on. Going one way it led to a quarry. Going the other it led to a huge drainpipe which connected to the development's storm sewers and debouched in a field to become a creek again to the east of us, right behind the houses at the end of Butte Lane, where our home was. There what had been productive farmland had been plowed for houses that were never built. The field had gone to weed, hills of clay and an enormous pile of long-dead trees in its center. The creek itself cut deeply between clay ridges where it exited the pipe. There, on its western bank, were the headquarters of our Federal forces.

The rest, the field, the log pile and a large clay hill alongside side it, belonged to the Confederacy, the forces of which far exceeded our own. For some reason few wanted to be Unionists. For me, it was a matter of principle. I was against slavery and at that early age I believed that what the Civil War had been about. Interestingly, since we lived in federally subsidized housing, some of the kids were black, but no one on either side ever thought about treating them as slaves or freedmen and women and no one ever made a racial slur.

The richer kids had various civil war paraphenalia, usually the hats which were available at the Meadowdale Shopping Center. Guns, however, were not used except for show. They were, after all, only toys. The fighting went on with rocks and pebbles, clumps of mud or dirt, sticks and fists. Usually it was restrained. We Federals would occupy our high ground on one side of the creek. The Confederate hordes would occupy the other side. Projectiles of all sorts would be lobbed in high arcs, there being plenty of time to step aside, cursing.

The only real violence was when numbers were low and one side or the other decided to sneak into the enemy territory. This was the real fun. The creek-defined boundary was pretty long (one would never think of entering the area of the enemy another way!), the weeds were high, so one could crouch and crawl across if a portion was unoccupied. A few, maybe four, of us Federals explored the inside of the log pile one late afternoon after a lengthy crawl across the field. The Rebels had been using it for some time, clearing paths in three dimensions, clearing little chambers within. Exploring, cracking branches, talking too loudly, we were discovered, the pile surrounded by superior numbers, and captured.

The Confederates took us to their Andersonville: a hand-dug cave on the side of the big hill beside the woodpile. It wasn't much, just big enough for the four of us to huddle in for protection as the Rebels rolled and tossed rocks down upon us from the peak. Then, disaster! One of my comrades had stuck his head out to say he had to get home for dinner and WHAM one of the rocks hit him full on, drawing blood and tears.

A bit of shouting from our muddy hole to the victors apprised them of the situation. The game was called off for the night and everyone left, me and my three unhurt comrades escorting our fellow to his home.

That was the worst injury I can recall. Although tears were common enough, bawling could normally be suppressed except by the smallest kids. Consequently, we were rather surprised when Ms. Loose, the school's principal, visited all six grades the following Monday to announce that henceforth the civil war was over in Meadowdale.

And it was. We were an obedient lot. The playing went on, of course, but the fighting ended. In any case, it was really more fun to walk the storm sewers for miles under the streets, ever guided by the dim glow beneath curbside drains, ever on watch for the giant rats said to inhabit the underworld. (less)

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Apr 26, 2009

Beth F. rated it

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Shelves: classic, dude-lit, 2009, tnbbc-spring-2009

Here is a recreation of my brain while reading this book: "Alright, it's about time I read this and so far, okay. I like the prose, I like the prose, I like the...um...STOP TALKING! Stop talking to each other! Shutup! I can barely understand you! UGH. Thank you. Nice prose...nice...okay, nevermind. Boring. Boring. Boring. Boring. Gross. I hate fight scenes. Boring AND gross. Gross AND boring. Stop fighting. Stop talking. Get on with it...this is boring..."

...more

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Jul 10, 2008

Tara Ferrin rated it

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Recommends it for: yes

I actually finally finished the book last night. I say finally not because I didn't enjoy it, because I did, but it definitely was a tougher read than I'm used. The language is older more descriptive, and at times hard to figure out, but in the end I think it made me appreciate it more. I'm not going to pretend that I understood even half of what the author was trying to say, but It did affect me, and spoke to me personally at times. In my opinion he's a brilliant writer.
It's a story...moreI actually finally finished the book last night. I say finally not because I didn't enjoy it, because I did, but it definitely was a tougher read than I'm used. The language is older more descriptive, and at times hard to figure out, but in the end I think it made me appreciate it more. I'm not going to pretend that I understood even half of what the author was trying to say, but It did affect me, and spoke to me personally at times. In my opinion he's a brilliant writer.
It's a story of a very young and inexperienced soldier in the civil war named Henry. It tells of his inward struggles finding courage and making sense of this terrible thing called war. It is disturbing at times to read some of the horrors he describes, not because it's graphic, but just emotionally heart wrenching.
I love this paragraph:
"As he gazed around him, the youth(Henry) felt a flash of astonishment at the blue pure sky and the sun-gleamings on the trees and fields. It was surprising that nature had gone tranquilly on with her golden processes in the midst of so much devilment."

After reading this, I could really feel myself in his shoes. Here he is in this captivatingly beautiful place, listening to the stream running by and the birds singing, how can life go so peaceably on for nature, when something so horrible and ugly as war is raging at the same time.
It was sad to read how insignificant he felt at times, his lieutenant called his regiment a bunch of slow "mule-drivers" and sent them off to charge the enemy stating that few would make their way back. How would that feel? Like being sent off as one of the unimportant masses to be slaughtered for the greater good. I can't imagine. I hope our soldiers understand how important they are not just collectively. but individually. They are each heros to me, for just being there.

I loved this novel. It wasn't an easy read for me, but it was worth it.

side note: I read the New Edition, it's I guess the complete edition restored from the author's original manuscript. The version first published and the one most people are familiar with is supposedly different. " It was altered in many key passages and an entire chapter was removed in order to make it a simpler, less realistic picture of war-more acceptable to the readers of the time." As stated on the back of my book.

Hope you enjoy!(less)

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Jun 14, 2008

Amanda rated it

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Another librivox recording.

I've been doing a lot of yard work so my trusty ipod is filled with librivox books. I hate yard work. This is the only way I can get through it.

I'm not a fan of war anything: books,movies, stories. But my friend just finished listening to The Red Badge of Courage and suggested I try it. I'm still not a fan of war books. This one wasn't bad, but the descriptions of the war, of the injuries was really more than I wanted.

The person we'r...more

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Jul 05, 2009

Andrew rated it

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The Red Badge of Courage was a very meaningful book for me. This book is about a boy named Henry who thinks that when his squad gets into battle, he will not have the courage to stay and fight. He hasn’t actually been in a fight yet, his squad has been resting and he thinks that they are going to go into a fight soon. When he thinks that his platoon is going to all die, he runs from the fight. He sees a lot of injured men that he admires and can’t stand to be with them. He sees his old frie...more

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Mar 23, 2008

Wolfman rated it

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Stephen Crane died at the turn of the century in his late 20's, making him a rock star. I bet all of the college kids in the 1910's and 20's had posters of him on their walls. Or maybe portraits.

There isn't that much time in The Red Badge of Courage for you to get too attached to any characters, not even our hero The Youth, Henry Fleming. But you can totally empathize with his Desire to do Something Grand, his fear, his sense of accomplishment, and generally fickle human nature. ...more

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Aug 07, 2007

Christine E. rated it

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I first read this as a very young kid (I was no more than 8 years old). I thought it was amazing then, and I re-read it when I was in my 20's and appreciated it even more. However I doubt I'll be up for another re-read anytime soon, because I can't handle harrowing stories of war the way I once could, even ones as beautifully written as this one.

But there will always be a place for it on my bookshelf. Um ... or in one of my many boxes of books that hasn't yet been unpacked after...more

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Mar 25, 2009

Bill rated it

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Shelves: historic-fiction, military

This novel is basically about a young man who goes to war. Written by an author who had never experienced war but believed he could write a better war novel than was currently available. If history is any indication - he did as the book is a classic (which is why I read it).

I enjoyed this tale! I would definately recommend it. I don't want to talk too much about what our protagonist goes through so will keep this review very brief.

The writing style was pretty fluid ...more

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Mar 14, 2009

Chris rated it

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Crane writes in a way that is easy reading. Even though it is a war novel, most of the action takes place in the mind of the main character, Henry Fleming. It is amazing how insecure Fleming is, not about the fighting per se but more about what other people think of him. In a way it was like reading a book about mean girls in high school. I found the novel a bit Brechtian in the sense that it seemed like the author was deliberately trying to keep the reader from identifying with the main charact...more

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Mar 04, 2009

Laura rated it

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I always seem to write reviews for books I love. That really is a tragedy, because books I hated should be acknowledged here too.

This review is a warning to all. Especially the younger set that may still encounter this book in school. If you have a choice, do not read this book, sometimes they offer an array of books to chose from. I am still baffled at how this book was ever deemed a good choice for use in schools. It is the most boring and painful book I have ever read, to this day...more

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Mar 01, 2009

Eric rated it

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Shelves: american-civil-war, books-i-own, fiction, historical-fiction

This is the first I’ve read The Red Badge of Courage. Believe it or not, it was never assigned in school, probably because I attended Christian schools until college. I do remember reading Crane’s short story The Open Boat in high school, but that’s not very violent, or filled with death and destruction (although one man dies). But my conservative Lutheran schools tended to avoid violent subject matter.
But that’s another topic.

Stephen Crane’s classic about the Civil War holds...more

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Dec 23, 2011

Stephen rated it

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Shelves: my-aborted-50-states-in-50-weeks-pr

The Battle of Chancellorsville, the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign, was the fifth costliest battle of the American Civil War. 17,197 Union and 13,303 Confederate casualties were counted in the fighting which lasted from April 30 to May 6, 1863 (May 3 was the second bloodiest day of the Civil War). The campaign was the most unevenly balanced of the war, and is known as Confederate General Robert E. Lee's "perfect battle" for his victory against a Union army better...moreThe Battle of Chancellorsville, the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign, was the fifth costliest battle of the American Civil War. 17,197 Union and 13,303 Confederate casualties were counted in the fighting which lasted from April 30 to May 6, 1863 (May 3 was the second bloodiest day of the Civil War). The campaign was the most unevenly balanced of the war, and is known as Confederate General Robert E. Lee's "perfect battle" for his victory against a Union army better supplied, better rested and twice their size (60,892 against Maj. Gen Joseph Hooker's army of 133,868). Although the result was a victory for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia he lost some 22% of his force in the campaign, and just as seriously, he lost his most aggressive field commander, Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, to friendly fire, a loss that Lee likened to "losing my right arm." In reaction to the Union defeat President Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying, "My God! My God! What will the country say?" Although Stephen Crane was born six years after the end of the Civil War he surprised critics with his realistic portrayal of the battlefield in Red Badge of Courage, and it is widely believed that he based the battle on that of Chancellorsville, possibly taking inspiration from war stories told by members of the 124th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (the Orange Blossoms), who first saw battle at Chancellorsville, in the town square of Port Jervis, New York where he resided. An overnight success at the age of 24, Crane died in 1900 following a severe hemorrhage of the lungs, aged just 28.

Red Badge of Courage was adapted into a 1951 film by director John Huston. Huston felt the film was his best to date but MGM were troubled by poor audience test results and what they felt was an anti-war tone to the film, and cut 19 minutes from the film. The Battle of Chancellorsville was also depicted in the 2003 film Gods and Generals, based on the novel of the same name. In the novel of Red Badge of Courage though, there are no references to the time and place of the action, and in a sense they are not important, as the novel is a study of the psychological fear felt by the soldier. In fact, because it follows a battle from one soldier's pespective it is (intentionally so) hard to follow what is happening on the larger scale, or even who is winning the battle (at times the private can barely see beyond ten feet for all the smoke on the battlefield), and it's to its credit that it effectively places the reader in the thick of the battle. At the time Red Badge of Courage was praised as a modern work and it still holds up as one of the most vivid fictional accounts of war on the front-line written.

Text taken from my aborted project to read 50 books set in 50 states in 50 weeks.(less)

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Dec 12, 2011

Mark Peterson rated it

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Shelves: mark-s-definitive-classic-canon

I think one of the points of the novel is that no matter of thinking about battle is a substitute for the act of experiencing it. As such, I can't help thinking what this novel might mean to someone who's been through the experience - is it as transformative as what Crane seems to suggest?

As someone with admittedly no experience with war, the novel nonetheless seems to capture everything I would imagine the experience to entail - the confusion, the multitude of emotions, vascillating ...more

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Nov 29, 2011

Webbnina rated it

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I have no idea how this average review can be 3/5. The Red Badge of Courage is one of many books that address fear in the face of death. Henry, a brand new and young soldier in the Civil War, doesn't know how he will react to battle. When his regiment charges the enemy, Henry defects. He is ashamed, but through a variety of circumstances and enormous personal growth (we love this in our novels) becomes a hero among the soldiers of his regiment.
This book made popular the term 'red badge of ...moreI have no idea how this average review can be 3/5. The Red Badge of Courage is one of many books that address fear in the face of death. Henry, a brand new and young soldier in the Civil War, doesn't know how he will react to battle. When his regiment charges the enemy, Henry defects. He is ashamed, but through a variety of circumstances and enormous personal growth (we love this in our novels) becomes a hero among the soldiers of his regiment.
This book made popular the term 'red badge of courage' as it applies to an injury received in battle. It is recommended for all new Marine recruits because it examines how first-time soldiers, most who have never shot a rifle at another man much less killed someone, would feel thrown into battle. The main character, Henry, likely reacts as many of us would and many did, so most readers relate to his series of events.

Though published in 1895, this book remains an icon of American literature. It is a standard allusion in other writing (akin to 'waiting for Godot'). To be considered educated, adults must read this book to fully understand other writing they'll face. Not only the allusion to 'red badge of courage', but the need of warriors to appear brave in the face of battle, to claim courage as a means of bolstering their reputation and personal identity. We see it often in political figures. I can think of two (I'll leave them unnamed, but you know who I mean) whose prowess in battle is questionable though they claimed the mantle of hero. It's safe to say that mankind's roots remained entangled with our battles, our courage, and our ability to be damaged and survive.
I guess relevancy to people dropped their rating. If we can't relate to mind-numbing fear and how we would move forward under its influence, I suppose it would be considered 'boring' or 'irrelevant'. To men, even if I may never face a circumstance where I must do the right thing even when every nerve in my body wants me to do something else, I think this book is important to read. How else would I understand the allusions to it in news articles and conversation?(less)

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Nov 22, 2011

Nicole rated it

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Recommends it for: Those who enjoy war stories and can put up w/stupid main characters for big parts of the book.

Recommended to Nicole by: American Literature of the 19th Century (Class)

Shelves: education

My last status update on this book may have confused a great deal of those following along with me. The four-out-of-five star rating was probably even more of a shocker for those of you watching me rant and rave, practically frothing and foaming at the mouth with madness as I slung curses like weapons--desiring and willing to accept nothing short of our main character's, Henry's, death and destruction. There is validity in this! Since we first meet Henry, this kid who wants to become a soldier f...moreMy last status update on this book may have confused a great deal of those following along with me. The four-out-of-five star rating was probably even more of a shocker for those of you watching me rant and rave, practically frothing and foaming at the mouth with madness as I slung curses like weapons--desiring and willing to accept nothing short of our main character's, Henry's, death and destruction. There is validity in this! Since we first meet Henry, this kid who wants to become a soldier for the glory's sake along with every other wrong reason you can contrive, I didn't like him. He was a self-serving, fame-seeking kid (again, I emphasize) who didn't give a rip about his mother's concern for his safety, and only the admiration of absolutely everyone around him. He goes behind her back, joins the army, and is disappointed when a "poetic" and beautifully scripted farewell scene isn't given the chance to play out because his mom is too busy lecturing him about the various dangers and giving him advice on how to SURVIVE before he goes! Yeesh what a prick!

But oh no, that's not the reason I hate him. No, that comes almost instantly afterwards and for the next SEVENTY PAGES. Considering the book is about 100pgs long? That means he spends more than half the time being a complete JACKWAGON. D8< *Mild loss of temper* But how do I mean this? What do I base it off of? Well, perhaps that he thinks poorly of everyone around him, calling them far more stupid and saying he's the more superior and perceptive, when all the little brat has done is this: nothing. NOTHING!!! He RAN AWAY when the fighting got tough! He got injured because he was holding onto a retreating soldier, babbling like an idiot, and then got whacked in the head with the butt of his rifle! Then he has the AUDACITY to walk into camp and say he was SHOT in the HEAD. And he LIVES IT UP too! Taking advantage of the guy treating him! But hey, before he gets THAT "battle scar" he's complaining about how his body aches and how hungry he is and how his feet hurt. You little inconsiderate! There are men DEAD everywhere AROUND YOU. And others who are ALIVE and SUFFERING. And you have the GALL to tell me that you can barely STAND?! What type of nonsense is this!?!?!?!

And it goes ON, as I said, for the next TWO THIRDS of the book! GAH! I wanted to smack him and strangle him and MORE. At every--single--TURN he's doing something new that makes me want to throttle the living daylights out of him!!! And man, does he pull some incredible stunts of asininity. -__- Seriously, how far up your own butt do you have to be to think that highly of yourself? What a prick!!!

So why, you ask, did I give this book a four out of five? Well, because around the late 60 to early 70 page mark, I made an update saying that for once... Henry was acting the part of a man. There was a large gap after that one status update, where I had no further comments until I reached the end of the book. It was in those last thirty or so pages that something unexpected happened--what I had hoped would happen throughout most of the story: Henry became a man. There was no more of his philosophy, no more comparing himself to the other men around him. It was just a burning desire to enact what he had to; to get the task at hand done, and to do it with every fiber of his being. When he stopped thinking about himself, about some falsely claimed or obtained glory, and just did what needed to be done... when he didn't realize he was throwing himself right past the front lines, fully capable of being shot and killed at any moment... when he had no hesitance to run forth right into the bullets and try to claim the victory...! Those are the moments where he changed. Where, suddenly, he wasn't the little boy anxious for poetic depictions of battle and glory and praise. He was the man, throwing himself out there, regardless of the circumstances or the possible danger, the horrible outcomes, and growing up through those actions.

What's more that finally settled my mind about this? ...he admitted how ashamed he was. And... that he hated the thoughts of himself, when he looked back on how he had been when he first started out. Is there a fine line that's being trod here? Is the change too abrupt? ...perhaps, perhaps not.

Either way... it was stunning to see, and it... surprised me in a good way. It took me aback and... it made me realize that he did change. Those actions--they spoke louder than any words he ever uttered. And he uttered less and less of them the more he grew towards the end. I feel that, if only because of the ending, it was worthwhile. Boys go into wars and come out men. And... perhaps this is one of the best examples of that transformation, and how suddenly, how amazingly... it happens, without us even knowing it.

It's a truly amazing book in a way. I would definitely recommend it to be read. It was enjoyable, even if for the greatest part of it, I was a lunatic desiring our main character's death. *Chuckles* But hey... people change. And that's what is so fascinating and interesting about this book. That this kid who I thought for certain was going to be a stupid prick to the very end... ended up changing like that. Definitely read it, at some point or another. If you don't want to risk it, then take it out of a library or get it secondhand, but at the very least, it's a book that's worth a shot.(less)

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Nov 15, 2011

Alex Li rated it

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As The Red Badge of Courage opens, members of a newly recruited regiment is debating a fresh rumor they are finally going to move out on the next day and engage the enemy. One young soldier, named Henry Fleming, does not engage in the debate and instead reflects on what will become of him when he gets to battle. He enlisted because he wanted to be a hero, thinking of Greek epics. His own mother, however, was not interested in such ideas, and discouraged him from enlisting. When he finally did, s...moreAs The Red Badge of Courage opens, members of a newly recruited regiment is debating a fresh rumor they are finally going to move out on the next day and engage the enemy. One young soldier, named Henry Fleming, does not engage in the debate and instead reflects on what will become of him when he gets to battle. He enlisted because he wanted to be a hero, thinking of Greek epics. His own mother, however, was not interested in such ideas, and discouraged him from enlisting. When he finally did, she did not have an impassioned speech for him. She merely says that if he is ever in a situation where he will be killed or do something wrong, he should go with his feelings. With these words, Henry left his home and entered his army duty.
He had not seen his foes yet, save a conversation with one across a riverbank late one night. The veterans tell them of gray, mad, rampaging hordes; but he does not trust their tales very much. However, he does not care who he fights, just that he will not run away. He is panicked at the proposition. He talks with other soldiers the tall one (named Jim Conklin) and the loud one (named Wilson). Both believe in themselves enough to say that they will fight as hard as they can, but neither goes as far to say that they definitely will not run. The regiment does not move out on the rumored day, but soon thereafter. They march through other Union armies, dressed in blue. Their youth shows, as their uniforms still seem so new they gleam. Soon after, though, the tall soldier kicks Henry awake. The regiment is gathered and the men run down wood roads. During this time, Henry's thoughts are mixed and various. He feels that he should have never enlisted and misses his home. The next moment, he feels the overwhelming need to see a battle taking place. After he does so, upon cresting a hill and looking at a skirmish down below, he watches in quiet fascination, but does not desire to participate. Then, after the men march more and he sees his first dead body, he begins to suspect that they are being led to their slaughter, to be sacrificed to a red war god. He wants to tell his mates, but is afraid of their jibes and scoffing in return. Soon, the regiment is facing an actual conflict. Wilson, the loud soldier, is so certain he will die that he gives Henry a packet of letters to send to his family. As they line up to fight, rumors fly again about the state of their army. Smoke and noise from guns rise around them. Bullets and shells whistle towards them. A regiment in front, already engaging the enemy, is beaten and flees the battleground. The youth imagines that they were beaten by a monster. He resolves to get a view of this monster, even if he very well may flee himself. The regiment is soon engaged. They work feverishly, firing and reloading. The smoke chokes them and makes their eyes red. Henry feels full of rage. Men fall occasionally around him. Soon, the enemy retreats. The men relax. Henry feels satisfied that he has overcome the trials of war. However, the men have not rested for long when the Rebels attack again. They fight fiercely once more. Henry feels different this time. He feels that the monster of war, a red and green dragon, will come through the gray smoke and swallow him. After a few men around him flee, the youth's own fear gets the better of him. He drops his weapon and runs from the battle. As he goes through the forest and past cannons, he is sure that the dragon is pursuing him and that these others fighting against it are fools, going like lemmings to their death. However, as he finally stops by an officer, he finds that his regiment won the battle. He is thunderstruck. He realizes that he has done something very wrong, though he tries to justify it to himself that it was through superior powers of observation. He imagines the insults he will have to bear when returning to camp and attempts to get as far away from them and the monster of war as possible. He walks into a forest. The noises of the conflict gradually become fainter. He feels more at peace, that his actions are more in congress with nature. However, as he goes, he encounters a corpse, with a faded uniform. The glassy-eyed stare grabs him for a moment in fear. Then the youth slowly turns away, creeping from the body; then he turns and runs away as fast as he can. He goes through the forest and into the open. He finds a road and walking upon it a procession of wounded soldiers. They are suffering and moaning as they limp down the road. A tattered soldier, wounded twice, tries to talk to Henry about the battle and where the youth has been shot. These questions bring his embarrassment and guilt out. He tries to run away in the crowd. He eventually runs into Jim Conklin, the tall soldier, wounded and near death. Henry tries to help him, but his friend is too close to death. The tattered man comes up to assist as well, but Jim runs off into the fields, where he staggers and falls over dead. The tattered man tries to talk more with Henry, telling him stories of men he knows in the army and how he became wounded. Again, the man asks Henry where his wounds are located. The youth tells him to not bother him, and slips away from the man, leaving him blubbering and wondering about in the field. As he continues on, Henry eventually encounters a retreating band of carts and horses. This makes him feel temporarily good; if the whole army is retreating, his flight will not be so suspicious. However, soon a column of troops comes up the road. Henry looks at these men as brave, and he soon gets the will to fight. However, more thoughts come into his head. He considers that he is low and guilty. His comrades will see him as a worm. These thoughts make him thirst and ache. He tries to justify his flight in his head, but his emotions betray him. He wishes he were dead.
Soon, the column comes running out of the grove into which they marched. All is chaos and pandemonium. Henry is shocked to see that these heroic figures have been so quickly turned into scampering animals. He tries to stop one to ask him what happened, but only blubbers his words. The man hits him on the head with his rifle. Henry is dazed and injured. He wonders in the dark until a kind man helps him find his regiment. There, no harsh words await him. Wilson and another soldier bandage his wound, which Henry claims is from a bullet. The others do not seem to care that much just that he gets attention and rest, which he does. When he awakes, he finds that his friend, Wilson, is not so much the loud soldier he once was. He takes special care of Henry, is reflective, and breaks up fights around him. The youth notices this change from irritation to tranquility. However, he feels that he has a weapon against his friend the packet of letters he gave in haste at the beginning of the battle the day before. Fearful of being discovered as a coward, he imagines that with this packet he can ward off any shame that questioning from Wilson would give him. However, Wilson sheepishly asks for the packet before Henry can do anything. While he maintains a haughty air, the youth can say no barbs against his friend as he hands the envelope back to him. The regiment today moves from one embankment to another, always taking cover and seeing some of battle, but not actually participating in it. The youth is now talkative, perhaps overly so. He tries to show his pride, and is silenced for it; for he knows that he in fact fled battle yesterday and was not shot. A sarcastic soldier cuts him down and later his lieutenant tells him to stop talking and start fighting. The regiment does this soon enough. They are attacked by the Rebels and repel them. This battle, Henry fights as if he were crazed; shooting at them long after the battle is finished. This makes some of the men look at him with curiosity. Henry regards himself as a barbarian. Soon, Wilson and Henry take an opportunity to get water for the regiment. After they search for a stream unsuccessfully, they encounter a general and his staff in a road. In the midst of the conversation, they hear that their regiment of "mule drivers" is going to charge the enemy, with perhaps many casualties. They return to their fellow soldiers with this news, but do not tell them that the general doubted that they will survive. The charge begins soon. It takes the regiment a minute, but they are soon running with haste at the enemy. Many are shot in the process. Henry now feels that he sees things clearly. He and the other men go into frenzy. But eventually, they stop. The lieutenant yells, screams, and curses at them to continue. Wilson breaks the spell by firing his rifle. Others soon follow his lead. Soon, Henry sees the flag of his army, which revives him. As his color sergeant is soon shot, he leaps for the flag, along with Wilson, to hold it for himself. The battle rages on, with Henry holding the flag aloft. The men dig in slightly, as their numbers diminish. Henry is full of rage. He is thinking little, only feeling his anger. The lieutenant and Henry are both trying to get the men to continue. Soon, the officer sees that the men in gray are trying to advance onto their position. Automatically, the regiment fires into them, causing the enemy to retreat. Satisfied, they go back to their lines. When they return, they are greeted with jeers from the veterans and reprimands from the higher officers. They stopped short of an impressive charge, they learn. The men, who had been so proud of themselves, find that their efforts are not seen as sufficient, let alone brave. Soon, though, Wilson and Henry here a story through one of their fellow soldiers that a colonel and lieutenant were discussing their particular prowess in battle. This fills their hearts with pride. Soon, the battle is on again. The men in blue charge the men in gray once more. Again, the regiment finds itself in open territory, peppered by bullets. Henry is intent on standing upright, keeping the flag strong, though the men around him are still falling. Then the order comes to charge. The men to not shirk; they fix bayonets and wildly charge toward the gray smoke of the enemy's guns. On the other side, the youth knows, are the men who made this. He must see them. As they approach the enemy lines, the opposing flag comes into view. Wilson leaps at it and grabs it from the hands of the just-shot color sergeant. There are four prisoners of war, all looking very young and very human in their own faces. The men in blue are victorious. Henry, upon walking away with the regiment, first feels pride in his accomplishments of battle. Then he remembers his flight and his treatment of the tattered man, and guilt riles up in him again. He is concerned his mate will see it. However, he eventually lets this go. He now sees his previous thoughts on war and battle as silly and is happy to find himself doing so. He has made it through the trials of battle, from the red and the black, and is changed into a man. The gold (instead of the yellow) of the sun streams through the clouds as he marches with his regiment.
As a whole, I think that The Red Badge of Courage is a great book. I think the book is perfect for those who really like history and violence at the same time.
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Nov 14, 2011

Mark L. rated it

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This book did many things for me and I probably would not write with the same kind of flowery and imagery heavy symbolism that I do were it not for this book. The main thing that drew me in, mainly because I had never seen it before, was the usages of images to create at once the feeling o the battle and how it impacted the character, and at the same time almost created an alternate world unto itself. This book came at a time in my early writing career when I first began to wonder what it wa...more

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Oct 30, 2011

theduckthief rated it

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“All around us are people of all classes, of all nationalities, of all ages. For three days these people, these strangers to one another, are brought together. They sleep and eat under one roof, they cannot get away from each other. At the end of three days they part, they go their separate ways, never, perhaps to see each other again.”

Hercule Poirot is travelling back from Pakistan on the Orient Express and is lucky to get a berth. He finds the train strangely crowded for winter. Po...more“All around us are people of all classes, of all nationalities, of all ages. For three days these people, these strangers to one another, are brought together. They sleep and eat under one roof, they cannot get away from each other. At the end of three days they part, they go their separate ways, never, perhaps to see each other again.”

Hercule Poirot is travelling back from Pakistan on the Orient Express and is lucky to get a berth. He finds the train strangely crowded for winter. Populated with a variety of people of varying nationalities and classes, this group is a cross section of the world in miniature, confined to the living quarters of a train. Their interactions inform us on the attitude of the times and Poirot, being the nosy eavesdropper he is, learns all about his fellow passengers through conversation. All seems to be well until the second night when a snowstorm strands the train in the mountains. A series of strange noises precede the death of one Samuel Ratchett, who is discovered the next morning with 12 stab wounds to his chest. Poirot reluctantly takes the case only to find the evidence either nonexistent or bizarrely inconsistent. Each suspect is questioned in turn and Poirot slowly comes to realize he is dealing with a mastermind. Will he uncover the truth and discover the real killer before the train can be dug out from the storm?

This book is somewhat different from a traditional mystery in that it’s divided into three sections: “The Crime Scene”, “The Evidence” and “The Solution”. It’s a strange melding of storytelling and criminal investigation. It’s somewhat jarring at first but doesn’t detract from the story or suspense created by Christie. Again this is another genius plot and as always with her books, I tried to discern the identity of the killer and as always, failed miserably. This definitely makes for one of the more frustrating plotlines and trust me you’ll be kicking yourself once you get to the end. It’s far more complex than you realize. Just make sure you watch out for red herrings.

I love this book, maddening as it is. It's full, in terms of plot and characters. It's fufilling and it's in the top echelon of Christie novels where it deserves to be. If you've never read any of her books and want to experience her talent to its full extent, reading this book would be a great start. (less)

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Oct 16, 2011

Alexander Olivero rated it

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“The Red Badge of Courage” is a novel by Stephen Crane that tells the story of a young soldier in the Union army fighting during the Civil War. Crane illustrates the coming of age of a young boy fighting and the development of a character into a man. The novel shows the struggle of the protagonist, Henry Fleming, both as a soldier physically in battle and the inner battles that take place in his mind. As he wishes to flee, it is the support of his brethren that push him to carry on and lead t...more“The Red Badge of Courage” is a novel by Stephen Crane that tells the story of a young soldier in the Union army fighting during the Civil War. Crane illustrates the coming of age of a young boy fighting and the development of a character into a man. The novel shows the struggle of the protagonist, Henry Fleming, both as a soldier physically in battle and the inner battles that take place in his mind. As he wishes to flee, it is the support of his brethren that push him to carry on and lead to success on the battlefield.

Obviously as stated by the name of the novel, courage is the main theme. When Henry sees a group of soldiers that have been wounded, he sees their injuries as badges that one would receive for valor in their service. This is what motivates him to ignore his fears and his ideas to run away, and stay and fight. Through many events, Henry ends up being considered one of the best fighters in the regiment by his colonel and lieutenant. This is what makes this novel so inspiring, is the power that one can truly have when motivated by the right reason.

The story is told through the narration of events in the third person in which the thoughts of the protagonist are told. This makes the story very effective because along with being an account of the events, the reader also develops a feeling of what Henry is truly feeling. As for the action of the story, it is told in a very journalistic way, giving vivid details to create imagery. Part of Crane’s purpose was to give a realistic account of the events of the war and what soldiers experienced.

Personally, I enjoyed this novel very much. Normally I am not much of a history buff, but I found it very interesting to read a story of a soldier in the Civil War. Despite being fictional, Crane weaves a compelling story through the imagery to give the reader a real sense of the action. Obviously not considering the action of the story, the development of Henry reminded me of “The Catcher in the Rye” as this novel really serves as a coming of age novel for a different era. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody as it truly is a classic that all should read.
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Sep 25, 2011

Raymond Towers rated it

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I've read Stephen Crane's The Red Badge Of Courage at least three times in my life, and from my perspective as a lover of many genres of writing, a history buff, and an author, I have found this book to be amazing every time.
This is not a book about grandeur, or power, or a glorified expose of murder, as modern war is made out to be by our popular media. Instead, it is the simple story of an idealistic young man who enters the civil war, and it is told through the detailed impressions of a ...moreI've read Stephen Crane's The Red Badge Of Courage at least three times in my life, and from my perspective as a lover of many genres of writing, a history buff, and an author, I have found this book to be amazing every time.
This is not a book about grandeur, or power, or a glorified expose of murder, as modern war is made out to be by our popular media. Instead, it is the simple story of an idealistic young man who enters the civil war, and it is told through the detailed impressions of a journalist, which the writer actually was. This young man, Henry Fleming, describes everything from the landscape, to the action or lack thereof on the battlefield, to his own inner turmoil and struggles as he faces down death time and again.
There is a lot of information here, and perhaps this is what puts people off about this book, because Crane went out of his way to try and place the reader into the scene. Crane wants you to see what Henry is seeing, and he wants you to feel what Henry is feeling every step of the way. This book has an incredible depth to it, so much so that I had to read it in chapters in order for the writer in me to be able to absorb as much as I could.
The story itself moves along quite well, despite the eloquence of the writer. I've been told that life in the military is a constant repetition of 'hurry up, then wait', and this novella exemplifies that perfectly. Henry and his contemporaries are fidgety as they travel from one place to another. They complain and second guess a lot, and pretty much act just like real human beings would when faced with that same situation. And when the action gets going, the reader can see the different aspects of humanity as the soldiers line up and start firing rounds. The reader can experience the stubbornness of the trash-talkers, the general demeanor of the regiment, and the fear of those who eventually flee for their lives, including the main character, described often as 'the youth'. The importance of a single battle to its participants, and the relative insignificance of its results in the greater scheme of war, as viewed by higher ranking officers, is also clearly distinguished.
As a writer, I admire the ability of Crane to create a strong visual, as when Henry runs into a dead body in the woods, or when he walks alongside a mortally wounded friend and eventually watches him die before his eyes. At times, I felt as if the descriptions of places and emotions were one or two sentences too long. The heavy use of colloquialisms and slang, on the other hand, were entertaining and further defined the characters and the era in which the story took place. I've gone to Civil War reenactments in the past, and watched as actors rapidly reloaded their weapons even as the enemy was rushing towards them, and I felt drawn into the war scenes and regiment movements in the story as if I were watching them firsthand. One of my main aspirations as a writer is to put the reader both in the middle of a scene, and also inside one of my character's heads, and I felt Crane accomplished this to very plausible degree. In my opinion, this novella rates a resounding five stars for its realism and character development.

"I wonder that some of those fellows don't tell how they felt in those scraps. They spout enough of what they did, but they're as emotionless as rocks." - Stephen Crane(less)

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Sep 17, 2011

Lisa rated it

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Shelves: usa, kindle, 19th-century

It’s only a novella, so it didn’t take long to read, and as a study of fear, bravery and accidental heroism it made an interesting coda to my listening of Faulks on Fiction in which Faulks discusses the way fictional heroes soon abandoned the old notions of the mythical hero as good and noble by default.

Henry is a young Yankee farmboy who enlists in the Civil War against his mother’s will, but her only advice is to him is to keep away from bad influences and ‘do what’s right’. Other ...more

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Jun 06, 2011

Josh Wilson rated it

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The Red Badge Of Courage, by Stephan Crane, is a book about a young soldier, Henry Fleming, who is fighting for the Union in the Civil War. Henry is but a boy who joined the army because he wanted glory from fighting in conflict. Henry however is extremely unfit to fight in war. As rumors spread of the first battle for his regiment he becomes engulfed with fear. He doesn’t want to die. After the first fight is over he soon hears the gunshots of the confederates and has to fight again. This time ...more

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May 12, 2011

Nathan Peters rated it

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The Red Badge of courage was overall an enjoyable experience. I found Stephen Crane to be a descriptive and enjoyable author . His writting was descriptive and well put togethter, and and if you really felt this story and got into what the words said, then you could easily imagine you were in the story. It paints a very good image in your mind, through decriptive settings and words.
The story follows the experience of Henry Fleming, a farm boy who leaves all that he knows to join i...more

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Apr 17, 2011

Jason rated it

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The Red Badge Of Courage, by Stephan Crane, is a book about a young soldier, Henry Fleming, who is fighting for the Union in the Civil War. Henry is but a boy who joined the army because he wanted glory from fighting in conflict. Henry however is extremely unfit to fight in war. As rumors spread of the first battle for his regiment he becomes engulfed with fear. He doesn’t want to die. After the first fight is over he soon hears the gunshots of the confederates and has to fight again. This...more

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Mar 21, 2011

Jenny Shipp rated it

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Well, Heidi and I were in our favorite used book store, Treehorn, Saturday night (our favorite date!) and I picked up this slim book because I had never read it. I never wanted to read it as it was about war and who needed it? Well, I have read War and Peace and that is the biggest antiwar book I have ever read and, so, I figured I could take this one. I was deeply moved by the little fragment of war that was illuminated. The story is about a moment in the American Civil War. It is the story of...more

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Mar 07, 2011

wally rated it

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this is a ten-star story, read in high school, recently looked at again, on trivia, can someone give me a hallelujah? there's a great line in this story that i stumbled upon whilst trying to answer trivia questions and i'll have to come back to edit this to install it here, for moi, me myself and moi.

has to do w/trees....and i like it for how it ties in w/other things...in fact, i'll have to install another quote from pynchon's mason & dixon, to do w/trees...mention heller's catch-22...more

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