Red Badge of Courage
I just felt like posting this up, as well.
written Monday, December 24, 2007 in the middle of the night
Novel Essay: Prompt 1
In a well-developed essay, convince the reader Henry has or has not developed from youth to manhood in the course of his war adventures.
After his few days in battle, Henry Fleming gradually develops from a foolish, impressionable teenager into a wiser, more experienced young man. Throughout his time in the camp and as a part of the army, Henry goes through growth on many different levels. From his very first figment of imagination of Greek heroes to his first and last battle on the field, the youth evolves from a crawling caterpillar to a fluttering butterfly.
As a teenager, Henry is, to begin with, highly impressionable and extremely foolish. He hears of all the town gossip and sees the headlines in the local newspapers; the thought that war is a glorious matter begins to cement in his mind in addition to the Greek heroes he has learned about and so much wants to be like. By surreptitiously enlisting in the army, Henry hopes to attract attention from others, especially the girls. He wishes to hold the glory that Odysseus possesses. In addition to his impressionability and foolishness is irresponsibility. He enlists, knowing full well that his mother needs his help at home. His father is not there, and a lot has to be done on the farm. Henry drops his duties at home and goes out to search for his own niche.
Almost as petulant as a little boy, Henry constantly complains about camp and being in camp. When it turns out a lot less than he had expected and wanted, he thinks insolent thoughts and inwardly insults his own comrades. The “blue demonstration” and the tedious drills utterly bore him. While everybody else does not mind and understands that this is all a part of being in an army, Henry, as young and inexperienced as he is, does not. He stands there, completely oblivious as to why and how they can stand such boredom and then just fight so ruthlessly all of a sudden. He contemplates fleeing from battle, and at the zenith of his fear and self-doubt, he does.
The tables turn, however, when Henry realizes that he has wronged both himself and his fellow soldiers. When he returns to camp with a wound on his forehead and receives some special attention for it, slight guilt hits him. He admits his dishonesty to himself. When the next battle is announced and arrives, his fears subside and he fights his heart out. Although he has never before been in battle, he acts like a veteran of war out on the battlefield, holding up the army’s flag and not once letting it loose. Like a large wild animal just let out of its cage, Henry charges toward the rebel army almost uncontrollably. Everyone who sees him sees that he has changed, though some cannot put a finger on how. When the last battle is over, the general and colonel compliment Henry to the lieutenant. Two soldiers hear of this and run to inform the youth of this, and surprisingly, he was modest about it all. Not only has he learned modesty, but also courage. In the battle, he rids himself of his fears and worries and simply does what is natural.
Throughout the course of a few days in battle as part of an army, Henry Fleming evolves from youth to manhood by developing more mature characteristics and realizing his own wrongs. What was first intended to be simply an adventure to get away from home turned into an adventure to discover himself and slowly but surely graduate into manhood.
written Monday, December 24, 2007 in the middle of the night
Novel Essay: Prompt 1
In a well-developed essay, convince the reader Henry has or has not developed from youth to manhood in the course of his war adventures.
After his few days in battle, Henry Fleming gradually develops from a foolish, impressionable teenager into a wiser, more experienced young man. Throughout his time in the camp and as a part of the army, Henry goes through growth on many different levels. From his very first figment of imagination of Greek heroes to his first and last battle on the field, the youth evolves from a crawling caterpillar to a fluttering butterfly.
As a teenager, Henry is, to begin with, highly impressionable and extremely foolish. He hears of all the town gossip and sees the headlines in the local newspapers; the thought that war is a glorious matter begins to cement in his mind in addition to the Greek heroes he has learned about and so much wants to be like. By surreptitiously enlisting in the army, Henry hopes to attract attention from others, especially the girls. He wishes to hold the glory that Odysseus possesses. In addition to his impressionability and foolishness is irresponsibility. He enlists, knowing full well that his mother needs his help at home. His father is not there, and a lot has to be done on the farm. Henry drops his duties at home and goes out to search for his own niche.
Almost as petulant as a little boy, Henry constantly complains about camp and being in camp. When it turns out a lot less than he had expected and wanted, he thinks insolent thoughts and inwardly insults his own comrades. The “blue demonstration” and the tedious drills utterly bore him. While everybody else does not mind and understands that this is all a part of being in an army, Henry, as young and inexperienced as he is, does not. He stands there, completely oblivious as to why and how they can stand such boredom and then just fight so ruthlessly all of a sudden. He contemplates fleeing from battle, and at the zenith of his fear and self-doubt, he does.
The tables turn, however, when Henry realizes that he has wronged both himself and his fellow soldiers. When he returns to camp with a wound on his forehead and receives some special attention for it, slight guilt hits him. He admits his dishonesty to himself. When the next battle is announced and arrives, his fears subside and he fights his heart out. Although he has never before been in battle, he acts like a veteran of war out on the battlefield, holding up the army’s flag and not once letting it loose. Like a large wild animal just let out of its cage, Henry charges toward the rebel army almost uncontrollably. Everyone who sees him sees that he has changed, though some cannot put a finger on how. When the last battle is over, the general and colonel compliment Henry to the lieutenant. Two soldiers hear of this and run to inform the youth of this, and surprisingly, he was modest about it all. Not only has he learned modesty, but also courage. In the battle, he rids himself of his fears and worries and simply does what is natural.
Throughout the course of a few days in battle as part of an army, Henry Fleming evolves from youth to manhood by developing more mature characteristics and realizing his own wrongs. What was first intended to be simply an adventure to get away from home turned into an adventure to discover himself and slowly but surely graduate into manhood.
Comments