The Horrors of War engage the Innocence of Life

books:


	• The Red Badge of Courage (Wordsworth Classics) (Wordsworth Classics) Stephen Crane Wordsworth, 1999 - 192 pages average customer review:based on 313 reviews view larger image
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A solid war novel

The Red Badge of Courage is told through the perspective of a young man from the North named Henry Fleming or "the youth" as Crane calls him often. Reluctantly sent on his way from a small farm in the North, Henry excitedly signs up for the army and is eager to fight his first battle against the South. Henry finds out a lot about himself and matures quite a bit from the first battle. During the first battle, Henry flees the fight and is ashamed of himself for a while. Henry then gathers up the strength to once again give it his all, this time heroically undertaking a great role of leadership in the final battle that would indeed earn him the "Red Badge of Courage".

I liked this book for a few reasons. For one, it's so nice to actually see a character develop and have very human flaws as Henry did and go to possible redemption at the end. In addition, the novel as others have said is a short, but surprisingly accurate depiction of war and not just a rosy outlook in which the main character is flawless from start to finish as well as the war in general for the North. Lastly, the length makes it a very enjoyable novel that you can finish in a day or so.

For having never read the book in school, I definitely would recommend this to anyone who has done the same.

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Good condition but very late arriving

The book was in good condition and well wrapped but was so late arriving it was a bit ridiculous.

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The Horrors of War engage the Innocence of Life

What can one truly say about an American Classic. It would be presumptuous on my part, at the very least, to analyze Mr. Crane's masterpiece after so many literary giants have already poked and prodded this novel of youth and war to ad nauseam. As a young boy in the early 1950s, I first read this novel and enjoyed the superficial battle narratives. Later as a college student in the 1960s, I again was treated to an analysis of this great work by a distinguished university professor. Needless to say he dug deep into the meaning of this and that and what Mr. Crane was "really" saying. Academia arrogance always amuses me. As I grew older, and not necessarily wiser, I grew to enjoy reading about the American Civil War more and more. Today in my 60s I guess you could say I am a Civil War buff as I have read about and visited most civil war battlefields and sites. The one thing that keeps coming back, and to me grows more interesting with each passing year, is the life and views of the common soldier. When the smoke clears away, and the generals have gone, it is the essence of the common soldier that remains. It is he, or she, that was the spirit of the battles. In this light Mr. Crane captured that elusive spirit.
Today, I periodically reread The Red Badge of Courage to feel and taste what those common soldiers saw and felt. Although Mr. Crane did not actually serve in the Civil War, he was not born until 1871, his narrative nevertheless captures the flavor of those horrific times.
It is a simple book about a young boy growing up during a terrible war. As the pure, innocent young boy leaves his mom and trudges off to find glory in war, he soon discovers that war is anything but glory. It is dirty, messy, bloody, lonely, and at times, most times, terrifying. He must confront his demons as the guns roar and find out who he really is. During his first encounter of battle, the boy simply runs away terrified. He agonizes over his cowardice. He longs to return to his unit but is afraid of what his mates will think of his running away. Then he is struck in the head by a rifle from another soldier and realizes he can return and claim a battle injury. So he returns and is hailed a hero. In his heart he sadly knows the truth and during a second battle redeems himself in glory. The story concludes with his realization that there is no glory in war or death and sadness. Despite this he rejoices to be among his comrades.
A simple story that brings home the horrors of war and the truth of glory. Again, an American classic and a must read.

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Flashing, ironic colors in prose

Crane has a weird, impressionist writing style showing the battle fields of the American Civil War as seen through the eyes of Pvt. Henry Flemming. Unlike all the other editions, Crane's story is fully restored here in this W. W. NORTON edition, republished for the first time since 1889, with Crane's complete exploration of why a person acts courageously in war. This is the only edition of the complete novel before editors got their hands on it.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

With an Introduction by Richard Jenseth, St Lawrence University The Red Badge of Courage is one of the greatest war novels of all time. It reports on the American Civil War through the eyes of Henry Fleming, an ordinary farm boy turned soldier. It evokes the chaos and the dull clatter of war: the acrid smoke, the incessant rumours of coming battles, the filth and cold, the numbing monotony, the unworldly wailing of the dying. Like an impressionist painter, Crane also captures the strange beauty of war: the brilliant red flags against a blue sky, steel bayonets flashing in the morning sun as soldiers step off into battle. In the midst of this chaotic outer world, he creates an intricate inner world as he takes us inside the head of Henry Fleming.

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