Novel Response Form Model
· Bibliographic Entry: Crane, Stephen "The Red Badge of
Courage", D. Appleton and Company; New York, 1895
· Subject: Fiction War Story
· Defining passage in author's words: "There was a more serious problem. He lay in his bunk pondering upon it. He tried to mathematically prove to himself that he would not run from a battle." (Chapter 1)
· Passage paraphrased: This phrase talks about Henry is thinking about whether or not is he going to run away from a fight, and it foreshadows a lot of the story. A person of courage will never ask whether or not he will run away or not, but ask himself how much he can withstand. This passage really summarizes the direction of the story because the issue in the story is whether or not he finds his courage since you know he doesn't have it during the beginning of this story.
· Three supporting ideas, images or symbols: In the story, there were many main ideas, images and symbols. One would be the main character, Henry, struggles for courage while he fantasizes about a reputation of being a hero, but being a person that is afraid of death and runs away. (Chapter 6) One of the main symbols the story focuses on is death and pride. After seeing all the wounded soldiers with " Red Badges of Courage" and experiencing a fellow soldier and friend dying in front of him, he learns that running away from death would be the most painful and he must live with pride and die with pride.(Chapter 9) Also, a reaction of maturity is shown through the way Henry thinks. Henry strives for a reputation to become a hero so one day, people might tell stories about him and gain respect, but then after his experience of being a coward for the last time, he learns to ignore that idea and just goes on trying and being the best he can, and he soon becomes known as the best fighter in his regiment. (Chapter 19)
· List of characters:
1. Henry Fleming - "He presently wrapped his heart in the cloak
of his pride and kept the flag erect."(Chapter 20) he was used by the
author to give an idea of fear in a soldier's mind during the civil war.
2. Jim Conklin - "I've thought it might get too hot for Jim Conklin in
some of them scrimmages, and if a whole lot of boys started and run, why,
I s'pose I'd start and run. And if I once started to run, I'd run like the
devil, and no mistake. But if everybody was a-standing and a-fighting, why,
I'd stand and fight. Be jiminey, I would. I'll bet on it." (Chapter 1)
he was used by the author as an example with a true soldier of manhood and
as a role model Henry and Wilson should follow, his death played a big role
in Henry's evolving transition from a coward to a man of courage.
3. Wilson - "lots of good-a-'nough men have thought they was
going to do great things before th fight, but when the time come they skedaddled."
"Oh, that's all true, I s'pose," replied the other; "but I'm
not going to skedaddle. The man that bets on my running will lose his money,
that's all." (Chapter 2) he was used by the author to also show change
in manhood and as a friend Henry can relate to, showing similarities in how
he and both Henry have matured.
4. The Tattered Solider - "Dern me if I ever see fellers fight
so. Laws, how they did fight! I knowed th' boys 'd like it when they onct
got square at it. Th' boys ain't had no fair chanct up t' now, but this time
they showed what they was. I knowed it 'd turn out this way. Yeh can't lick
them boys. No, sir! They 're fighters, they be."(Chapter 8) used by the
author to give Henry pressure in learning to become more of a man and to help
him find his courage, because the tattered soldier excessively harasses Henry
about his wounds and his proof of contribution in the war.
· Plot of story: In the story everything starts to stir up right when the war begins, Henry, the main character, is having a complications trying to find his courage to fight in the war and in becoming the hero he desires to become. When the enemy retaliates after a small victory from Henry's side (the Union), Henry finds himself running away from the battle and calling his fellow solders imbeciles to make himself feel better. He soon finds a group of wounded fellow union soldiers with wounds talking about how each contributed in the war. This is where Henry starts to change his way of thinking, and he soon realizes he is the coward and the imbecile. Later he notices his fellow squad member wounded. Not long after being found he dies in front of Henry. This is the climax of the story creating much anger in Henry's heart and desire and causes him to find his courage. When he found his courage, all his main problems are resolved except in thinking of an excuse to go back to his regiment not looking like a coward in which he does somehow ends up back at his camp after getting knocked out from a hit to the head. He rejoins with his squad and fights aggressively and later looses his desire for being a known hero and is fulfilled with all that he has accomplished.
· Issues in the book: In the book "The Red Badge of Courage", the main issue was for Henry to find his courage. Throughout the story Henry runs away from the battle scene because he is afraid of death and having high hopes of being a well-known hero in the future. In his position, I can understand what he is going through, it's hard for a person to not be able to find courage when you need it the most. But on the other hand, I disagree with how he handled the problem. Don't bit off more than you can chew. Don't expect yourself to be the best when you cant even find courage. He should have asked himself the question of "How can I be a hero if I have to try to not run away from a battle?" Its good that he later found it and concluded that he will go back and fight, but the way he handled his problem by running away, I don't agree with his way of solving problems at hand. I stand by never run away from your problems.
· Theme of project: Wages of War. This story relates to the theme "Wages of War" by simply giving you an idea of how some people might have felt back then while serving the Civil War. People were scared; this shows the meaning of wars, in where it's not all happiness. A war is like a game, but very much not. Games have winners and a happy ending. In wars, lives are always lost, and that's never a happy ending. This story sets your mind into understanding the fear of war and the sacrifices made.
· List of other books of same theme:
1. Cooper, James Fenimore; " The Last of the Mohicans"
· How does theme appear in each book? : In both the stories:
" The Last of the Mohicans" and " The Red Badge of Courage",
there is a happy ending, but characters good are lost in both stories, for
example in Crane's book, Jim Conklin dies and in Femimore's book Uncas dies
proving the point of where war is a sacrifice of lives for a cause to save
lives. Also in wars people of courage and leadership must be included in wars.
This is because war is a process of no running back, in which both Henry finally
proved his courage and Hawkeye has shown in Fenimore's book. Leadership and
courage is a needed element of war.
In both stories, the desire for fame is never the case when one serves in
the war. In the beginning, Henry desires to be noticed in the future for being
a big impact in the war and wants stories told about him, but later he realizes
and no longer develops a taste for fame and is just doing what they have to
for the best of peoples future. In Fenimore's book, the desire for winning
the war is shared as just to bring peace in the future, not one of the characters
ever wanted fame for serving in the war. Everyone in the story just wanted
peace and the end of evil. Lives were self-willing to put on the line for
this peace. Fame is never desired in war.
DT 11-12-01
