Red Badge of Courage

Death, Blood and Destruction The Red Badge of Courage, a Civil War novel by Stephen Crane, may be examined on various levels. One of those levels is a story about the cruelty and disasters of war. Young Henry Flemming, the protagonist, has dreamed his whole life of being in the army and despite his mother's discouragement, he enlists with a Union regiment. Soon learning that the army is a big bore, Henry begins to view …

…contrast of war and nature, and the descriptions of the fighting and dead bodies, Crane clearly shows that war is a treacherous ordeal. Although Crane had never experienced a war firsthand, his descriptions and examinations of Henry and the war show that he understands how it all works. The novel can be seen on many different levels. But when closely examined, it is clear that the novel is an analysis of the horrors of war.