Examples Of Henry In The Red Badge Of Courage

War revolves around men who are brave, and are willing to take a bullet in the brain fighting for what they believe is right. They risk their lives, and kill other sorry men who are fighting against them. However, enlisting in the army and actually fighting for them are two different things, and only one of the options requires real bravery. This type of Bravery is not found in Henry's heart throughout The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. Crane portrays Henry's cowardice through the use of plot, characterization, and dialogue. Crane uses the storyline to expose Henry to the harsh realities of war, which requires bravery he does not posses. Henry knows that the regiment is marching in Virginia, home ground for the Confederates, and they will eventually come to a big encounter. Eventually, when a small skirmish occurs, the army settles in, and begins to fire their weapons. At the sight, Henry ran. “He ran like a rabbit. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him” (Crane 39). Crane includes an unexpected plot twist as Henry's eyes cannot handle the sight of dead bodies and others fleeing. He lets his frightened instincts take over, and he flees. He never second guesses himself, until afterward, when he feels ashamed. After the events of the skirmish, he begins to fret and starts to justify his actions for fleeing the battlefield. Although originally unintentional, he …show more content…
Henry is put in certain events on purpose to be a coward. Crane also has Henry do certain things that bring out fearful elements in his character. He also uses conversations with other soldiers to demonstrates Henry’s will to deny any comments that relate to him running away. As a result, Henry has displayed that he clearly lacks the bravery it takes to be a true union soldier, and he is not willing to do whatever it takes to make sure the union are