Difficult struggle is often a humbling experience. In Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage, Henry Fleming joins the Union army and tests his character during the Civil War. At first, the green Henry is confident that the war will bring no real challenges and he is concerned only with the anticipated admiration he will receive when the war is over. His thoughts change from eagerness to doubt once he is cast into the field. He is unsure of his own fortitude, and at several points he contemplates deserting the army in favor of the safer life he led as a boy. .
As Henry spends more time in the field, he becomes more deeply exposed to the truth about war and death. Though he is hardened by such experiences, he reacts at first with his childlike instincts of fear and selfishness. When he flees from battle into the natural sanctuary of the forest, Henry encounters the rotting corpse of a union soldier. Henry is immediately fearful upon noticing the body. Crane writes that hegave a shriek? andwas turned to stone? in the presence of death. He stares into the man's dead eyes, but soon becomes overwhelmed by thoughts of his own mortality and insignificance. Henry's youthful beliefs surface again as he retreats from the site, taking care not to turn his back out of fear that the corpse may spring to life and pursue him.
Henry's growth from boy to man becomes apparent when he finds himself amidst a column of retreating Union soldiers. He tries to learn of what happened to force the retreat, but he cannot find any answers in the confusion. Desperately, Henry grabs one man in order to force an answer from him; but instead of helping, the soldier strikes Henry with the butt of his rifle, and he collapses. His instinct is to lie helpless, but instead he fights anintense battle with his body? in order to escape the mob of soldiers.He went tall soldier fashion? against the tide of his pain,? notes Crane.
