'The Red Badge of Courage' by Stephen Crane is not just a war novel. It is the story of a young man's struggle to understand himself and the world, and to cope with the burdens that come with it. Henry, the young soldier and protagonist of the book, slowly begins to understand the role of nature in human life and struggles with himself to unravel his conflicting beliefs about courage and cowardice. Throughout the novel, he slowly transforms from a selfish and naive youth to a mature, aged soldier who understands what is truly important in life. These themes are highlighted through endless bloodshed and incessant gunfire, making the book feel more personal and allowing us to connect to it more deeply.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned'? Get the original essay Bravery and cowardice, particularly Henry's connection to this book, are prominent themes in the book. Henry doggedly pursues his romanticized version of bravery, of intrepid men charging into battle and emerging victorious or dying gloriously. However, once confronted with the reality of combat, his courage begins to wane and doubts set in, he does not know if he will be brave enough: "He ultimately concluded that the only way to prove himself was to to go into the blaze, and then figuratively to watch his legs discover their merits and faults. (12) Henry constantly compares himself to his peers and his perception of courage is linked to the way his peers praise him, constantly fearing that they will laugh at him if he does not prove himself worthy. When he returned to the camp after fleeing the fighting, “he was convinced that he would soon feel the barbed projectiles of ridicule in his painful heart.” (67) He often considers himself a coward. However, during Henry's bravest moment in battle, he barely notices the bravery he was displaying; he is aware of nothing other than the heat, noise, and pop of his own gun. The role of nature in war and human affairs is a main subject of the book. It explores the connection between Henry and his thoughts on how it works. The natural world continues its own activities, regardless of the horrors and atrocities committed within it. Henry considers it a haven of peace and often seeks the solace of nature when he feels overwhelmed by battle: “The landscape gave him confidence. A fair field that shelters life. It was the religion of peace. (41) Later, Henry learns that the universe completely disregards human life. His vain beliefs in death, courage and glory do not interest him, and Henry is confronted with this when he sees a dead body under a tree. “The eyes, staring at the youth, had taken on a dull hue to be seen from the side of a dead fish. The mouth was open, its red had become a terrible yellow. (42) Henry realizes that there is nothing glorious about death and that it is simply a natural part of nature. Henry's impression of nature as a peaceful refuge from war is shattered. He understands that the vast universe has no respect for human life and that everyone has a duty to protect not only themselves, but also those around them. Somewhere, under the incessant blows of the enemy army, Henry changes from a naive boy to a wise man. man. Very early on, he imagines that a uniform is enough to be a hero. He constantly compares himself to others and believes himself to be intellectually superior. However, he finds the true meaning of friendship and loyalty in Wilson and begins to.