In The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane shows the growth of a young man, Henry, who is influenced by several other characters. The year was 1862 and it was the time of the Civil War. The story begins at night, on a cold morning, when the army was resting in their tents, bunks and around campfires. As Jim Conklin, who would later become known as the Great Soldier, was washing his shirt in the river, he heard a rumor about the regiment. He hastens to announce to his comrades that the regiment will move the next day. After loud soldier Wilson hears this rumor, he and Jim argue that he is a liar. While all the rumors are spreading, the main character Henry is standing right by, watching and listening. Henry then begins to think about how his reaction to the fight will be. A flashback to when he first enlisted against his mother's wishes comes to mind. He remembers the stories of glorious and bloody wars of the past. Henry believed that war was a courageous adventure. At that time, people led a simple life, mainly based on growing and harvesting crops. The youngster also remembers his mother's lecture before he left for the war: "Take care of Henry and take good care of yourself in this fighting business." Be careful and take good care of yourself” (p. 5). His mother warned him to take care of himself and stay away from bad companions. Her mother's role symbolizes the realities of war due to the time in which this story takes place. It is unclear whether she was uneducated or not. Her farming lifestyle implies that she was a hardworking woman, especially since Henry's father was not around. This image also sets a realistic tone that accompanies Henry's fantasies. His small but simple actions, like kn...... middle of paper ......g continue. Henry faces the enemy with courage. Now that people think he is a strong and hardworking soldier, he regains his pride. He does his part to prevent the flag from landing in the opponent's hands. He leads the command with courage and dignity. Henry has become courageous and encourages others to have confidence as well. Henry overcomes his fear and accepts his duties. Henry is no longer distressed by the idea of ​​what his reactions might be. Now he fights without a care in the world and does it well. Finally, the shooting died down and the men retreated towards the river. Henry is pleased with how he overcame his fear and did it well. He has now matured and the war has transformed him from a boy to a man. Works Cited The Red Badge Of Courage, film remake (1974) December 3, 1974 The Red Badge Of Courage, Stephen Crane (1895) NY, New York