Expression of Fear in The Red Badge of Courage
The important conflict in The Red Badge of Courage is Henry Flemings
fear about how he will perform in his first battle. There are three people
who expressed their ideas abou their fears before the first skirmish. They
are Henry Fleming, Tom Wilson, and Jim Conklin.
Henry is worried about how he will do in this first battle. He isn't
sure if he will run or not, and he is scared that he might. He doesn't
want to look like a fool and run, but he is also scared of getting killed.
Even though Henry never expressed his fears to Tom Wilson or Jim Conklin
the audience could tell by the expressions on his face that he was scared.
While he was writing a letter to his parents he writes about how he is
going to fight for the first time and he wants to make the proud. After
Henry runs away from the first battle he feels embarrassed because he
didn't have a wound. No one knew he ran so he still had his pride and
after that his attitude changed and he began fighting with no fear.
Tom Wilson is another young sodier in the 304th regiment who is called
the loud soldier. When he is in the tent talking to Henry and conklin he
talks about how he will not run and take on the whole army on by himself.
When he is in the first battle he tries to run but is caught by an officer
and made to go back and fight. His attitude changed from being confident
to being scard of fighting.
Jim conklin is also a soldier in the 304th regiment who talks with
Henry and tom. When Conklin was talking to Henry and Wilson about how they
felt about fighting their first battle, he says that he will run if he sees
everyone else running. He is the only one to admit to everyone that he is
scared about fighting. He is also the only one not to run away from the
first battle even though other people were. When Henry sees him walking in
the road after the war he has been shot and is hurt bad. Jim is afraid of
lying in the road and being run ober by the artillery wagons. He decides
to take off running across a field and up a hill and he dies there.
The only person Hernry admitted to be scared and running away to was
Tom Wilson. After he ran the first time he felt embarressed and felt guilty.
While fighting in a battle HErny took over the flag and charged the enemy.
After the battle a sodier came and told everyone about the general talking
about Henry and Tom being heroes. Henry walked away and Tom followed him,
and they start talking. Henry finally admits to tom that he ran awsay, and
tom tells him that he ran but he was caught by a sergeant and had to go
back and fight. Henry and Tom both felt better after this knowing thay
they weren't the only ones to run away.
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