The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane, is a novel about a boy in the Civil War who matures and realizes the definition of true courage. Courage comes from the ability to be willing to sacrifice one’s life for a good humanitarian cause. This is clearly manifested in many points in this story. For example, in the beginning of the book, Henry, the main character is looking for a person to admit that they are scared and might run from the battlefield, because he is afraid that he might. He questions his friend, Wilson regarding this, and he replies: “I didn’t say I was the bravest man in the world, neither. I said I was going to do my share of fighting—that’s what I said. And I am, too” (19). Wilson portrays courage, because he says that he …show more content…
Telling the truth, even when it may hurt you, is another vital form of courage. Henry doesn’t display external courage, as he ran from the battlefield, and neither does he display internal courage—he wants to run from the truth. This is his fear and his lack of bravery manifested yet in another form. Another point to take from this quote is that at this point in the story, Henry saw a wound as “a red badge of courage”. He doesn’t realize until later that some don’t need physical wounds to show their courage, they can wear it in their hearts and manifest it in their actions. At this point though, Henry wishes he could be dead, or severely wounded, so that he may hide his cowardliness and so that he may look heroic. Henry’s definition of heroism and bravery is distorted at this section of the book. Henry sees courage as being able to show people you fought, and being able to make women swoon because of his “courage”. Rather, courage only comes when a person wants to work towards a good cause or ideal, and they are willing to sacrifice their lives for it. Finally, at the end of the book, Henry evolves from a cowardly boy into a brave