My Understanding of The Red Badge of Courage

If not for the requirement of the English teacher, I'd never read such a book about war. Meanwhile, the words used in the whole book are not familiar to me. Thus I'm sometimes confused for not knowing what the hell the story is talking about in a whole chapter, and easily lost my concentration when reading.

Sorry for going such far away from the comment. Back to this book, I'd like to share with you my understanding of this book.

This novel is notable partly for its realism. In chapter I, the author wrote:"'Did you ever think you might run yourself, Jim?' he (the youth) asked. On concluding the sentence helaughed as if he had meant to aim a joke." Such behavior is common in our life to veil our ashame, but is rarely noticed when writing the novel. It played a subtle role here to make the story alive.

In addition, the characters in the book used informal langrage, carring a obvious accent such as "I s'pose", "a lot 'a mule drivers" etc. These dialect make these soldiers more like soldiers, contributing to the realism.

When Henry escaped into the woods, he saw the squirral fleed when in danger, which comforted him. Just as in normal life, we will search the reasons all throughout the world to "explain" our faults. The author had kept a keen sight in life, resulting in the sence of realism in the book.

In chapter IX, the author explained the title: "He (Henry) wished that he, too, had a wound, a red badge of courage." For Henry is well everywhere in comparison to other comerades, it's easy to understand his wish here.

Later, the tall soldier Jim Conklin died. As is implied in his name, Jim is not only tall in physics, but also in spirits. He's a brave man when facing the bullets of the enemy, while Henry ran away; he got hurt seriously in the battle while Henry ran away; he devoted his life to the army while Henry ran away. So the name was actually rather a symbol. By the way, this book is well-known for its symbolism, such as the names inside. And one can easily know that "the youth" exactly represented the new ones in army.

In chapter XIII, Henry went back to the comades. "The loud coldier came slowly forward." Once in sight of Henry's "red badge of courage", "his friend(ie. the load) had stepped forward quickly". This is the change of Wilson. Wilson turned from a soldier who spoke a lot and made him disgusting into someone who could attend to others.

So is Henry, who turned into someone who could face the enemy bravely in the end, of course, partly beause of the stimulation from the dirty words of the officer. Nevertheless, Henry finished his convertion.

Generally speaking, I do not think this is a book about a big hero, since Henry is by no means counted as a hero. But he's changing, trying to overcome the difficulties in life, and progressing. That makes a big difference.