Throughout history, war has been considered a time where a man shows what he is
made of or show off his manhood. In The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane represents
Henry Fleming, who searches for himself while fighting in the Civil War. Crane lived in a
time where war was not seen for many generations. He lived during the Gilded Age, which
was between the Civil War and World War I. Although Crane had never served in the armed
forces but he had a vivid imagination of how the experience would be like. Crane entered the
novel as Henry Fleming. Fleming was the character, which Crane envisioned whom would
portray him if he had lived during that time period. Fleming entered the war where he
would prove his manhood and prove that he had courage within him.
Fleming's ideas about war were almost exactly like every other man who
entered the war.
Fleming Beach
Fleming 1997
Fleming, New YorkThey all had the ideas about honor and glory. This was the typical
ideology about war during the Gilded Age too. Fleming thought by enlisting in the Union
forces, he would prove his "manhood" and would achieve valor.
In the beginning of Fleming's journey, he seemed to have lost hope that he would
engage in combat, because his regiment had been encamped for a long time without getting
any orders to march. Fleming wasted no time in getting acquainted with his comrades when
he first came to the regiment. He made friends quickly with Wilson and Jim Conklin.
They all become close friends during there time together. During Fleming's journey,
his comrades were there every step of the way. He asked them questions about their
decisions that they might make if certain events took place. These decisions only
discouraged his own.. He made friends quickly with...