Red Badge of Courage Report

Hey guys, it's Adventure Van here with a blog about Red Badge of Courage, a story following a union soldier throughout his growth as a person and a soldier. It also gives a window into the heart and mind of the soldier, and how both humanization and dehumanization works on the battlefield. Henry Fleming is a union soldier who joins with the intention of gaining respect and admiration, and immediately upon reaching combat he runs away. After some stinging on the sidelines where he hides among wounded troops and escapes questions about his own lack of injury, he gets caught in a rout of union troops, one of whom hits him over the head with a rifle, giving Henry an injury.

Henry now proudly claims that this head-wound was a gunshot, despite the medical professionals having their doubts. Having rejoined his squadron, with new undeserved confidence, Henry now decides that because another soldier had given him letters before battle to send in case he died, he now has blackmail material and feels honorable because he gives them back. In this, more combat happens, which ultimately proves nothing other than a futile effort of death on both sides.However, now the book centers more on his growth in both respects of combat and the humanization of the opposing side. Overall, it is a decent book capable of showing the character change in the context of the war.

Adventure Van, signing out.