Chapter 3:
The March continues, then the preparation for battle.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. How has the regiment changed over the course of
the march?
2. Why are the hats important?
3. Why is running to his first battle a good thing for
the young soldier?
How would it be worse if he had to sit and think
about it?
4. What forces him to fight and prevents him from
running?
5. Why do the ranks open to avoid the corpse?
What is "The Question"?
6. War is compared to something. What is it
compared to?
Why doesn’t the author talk about the Southern
soldiers that way?
7. Why does Henry feel superior to everyone else?
Is he?
Explain.
8. What does the Loud Soldier give him?
Why?
Why does he give it to Henry? (think)
Thought
Early in the chapter, the woods are called a Cathedral.
Why?
Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 4
Introduction Henry’s first fight and it goes well.
Question
Answer the following questions fully.
1. At the beginning of this chapter, there is a long
skein of dialogue that in’t connected to anything.
• Who is supposed to be talking?
• Why effect is an author trying to get by doing that?
2. Why are the men relieved at the Lieutenant’s
wounds?
What does Crane compare it to?
3. How do all of the retreating men look?
Why do they look that way?
4. What is the "composite monster"?
Thought
When Crane writes about the retreat and not about
Henry’s thoughts, his style is different. How?
Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 5
Introduction The battle continues to come and Crane gets his
little dig into Emerson.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. What are the seven hundred bonnets being
compared to?
2. Does Henry have much faith in his officers?
Explain.
3. How does henry become a successful soldier?
What does Crane compare him to?
4. When he feels rage,what does he feel it against?
5. Crane notes that neither the men nor the officer
were in "heroic" or picturesque" poses. Why might
that be important to a reader?
6. When Crane describes a dying man, does he use
eloquent language or plain language? Why?
7. Why do the cannons continue to fire after the
enemy has retreated?
8. Henry is surprised at Nature. What has Nature
been doing?
What does that say about Nature?
Red Badge: Chapter 6
Introduction Now the battle is over
and the back-patting can
begin. Then, when you
least expect it...
Questions
Answer the following questions fully.
1. Why does Crane choose the word "ecstasy"
for Henry?
2. Why does the new battle dishearten the men
so much?
3. Again, what is the monster?
4. What happens to the men that are standing
near him?
Does Henry really have a mind of his own?
5. Why does he run?
6. What was the result of that battle?
Why is that result the opposite of what he
wanted?
Thought
Henry ceases to think so elevated thought about
himself for a while in this chapter. What happens to
his sentences?
Red Badge: Chapter 7
Introduction Henry has to come face to face with cowardice.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. Crane writes that his running was the work of "a
master’s legs."
What does he mean by that?
2. Henry looks to nature for answers. Why does he
say that Nature has an aversion to Tragedy?
3. How does the squirrel help Henry?
4. How does Crane describe the place where the dead
soldier is?
Why does he describe the soldier in such detail?
Why the ants?
5. Is nature truly a "chapel"
Thought
Emerson echoes all the way through American
Literature. This passage has the same echo, only
against Emerson. How?
Red Badge: Chapter 8
Introduction Henry meets the wounded.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. Which way does Henry run? Why? 2. Henry
thinks that "Nature was not quite ready to kill him."
Why does he think that? 3. What does the crowd of
wounded look like? Crane writes a bout the
wounded in more serious, reporter like phrases.
Why? 4. Why does Henry try to avoid the Tattered
Man? 5. Why does Henry run from him?
Red badge of Courage: Chapter 9
Introduction Death and blood.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. The title finally gets used. What is the "Red Badge
of Courage"? Is Crane being ironic? Explain.
2. Who is the spectral soldier?
3. Why does Jim begin to run? How does Crane’s
style change here? Is there something noble in that
run? Why does he want them to leave him be?
4. How does the soldier die? Is it a courageous death?
What does he die from?
Style
The vocabulary words are much simpler in this
chapter and Henry does less thinking. Why?
Red Badge: Chapter 10
Introduction Henry and the tattered soldier go on with their
lives, somewhat.
Questions
Answer the following questions fully.
1. Crane writes that the soldier "it" was laughing in the grass. Why
might the body be laughing?
2. How does Henry try to dodge the tattered man’s questions? Is the
tattered man very bright?
3. Why does he abandon the tattered man? Should he abandon him?
Chapters 11 and 12
Introduction: Henry gets back to the business.
Introduction: Those noble soldiers come racing out of the
woods. Henry finally gets his "Red Badge of Courage."
1. What are the soldiers fleeing from? What does Henry
have to throw away? What "voice" is Crane in when
Henry tosses away the pamphlets?
2. Describe the retreating army.
3. How did Henry get hurt? Does he seem badly hurt?
Who "rescues" Henry? 5. Why does the man help out
Henry? Why can’t Henry help himself?
Chapter 13: Introduction: Henry finds an old friend. He becomes the
patient of another.
1 What lie does he make up?
Why?
2. Are these people happy to see him? How many of the others ran? Why doesn’t
Crane come right out and say that?
3. Is Henry enjoying his wound? Explain.
4. Is Henry grateful for the nursing because he feels pain or for the excuse the wound
gives him? Explain.
5. Why doesn’t he surrender the blanket?
Red Badge of Courage: The Problem of Voice
Introduction
Both Melville and Crane use
two distinct writing styles. With
both writer’s the styles are used
to highlight issues with their
main characters.
The Narrative Voice
Crane uses one sort of voice
when working with facts and
events.
(From Chapter 8)
"Another, the commander of the
brigade, was galloping about
bawling. His hat was gone and
his clothes were awry. He
resembled a man who had come
from bed to go to a fire. The
hoofs of his horse often
threatened the heads of the
runnng men but they scampered
with singular fortune. In this
rush, they were apparently all
deaf and blind. The heeded not
the largest and the longest of the
oaths that were thrown at them
from all directions. "
• What is this paragraph about.
Does Crane use complicated or
simple language? Why?
• What figurative language is
contained here?
Why is it used?
• Are the sentences either
unnaturally long or short?
Are their many clauses in these
sentences?
Explain.
• Find two more paragraphs in
the text that show this same
style?
Continued on next page
Voice, Continued
Fleming’s Voice
While Crane does not write in
the first person, he does
appropriate Henry’s voice.
(From Chapter 6)
"The Supreme Trial had been
passed. The red, formidable
difficulties of war had been
vanquished.
He went into an ecstasy of selfsatisfaction. He had the most
delightful sensations of his life.
Standing as if apart from
himself, he viewed the last
scene. He perceived that the
man who had fought thus was
magnificent.
He felt that he was a fine fellow.
He saw himself even with those
ideals which he had considered
far beyond him. He smiled in
deep gratification."
• What is this passage about?
What sort of language does
Crane choose?
Explain.
• Does Crane use figurative
language in this scene?
Hyperbole is a deliberate
exggeration for effect. Does it
happen here?
• Are the sentences either
unnaturally long or short?
Are their many clauses in these
sentences?
Explain.
• Find two more paragraphs in
the text that show this same
style?
Continued on next page
Style, Continued
Why?
Why might Crane use two
different styles? Well, an author
mixes a writing style to creat a
contrast. In this case, the
contrast is between the
viewpoint of Henry and that of
an impartial observer.
With this in mind, what does
the "Henry" style tell you about
the character. In other words,
what do you learn about Henry
from his voice?
Should we disregard Henry’s
opinions?
Quo Vadis
In life, we have to evaluate not
only what people say, but how
they say it. Writers make this
their stock in trade. Since they
cannot effectively show body
language, they have to look
closely at the words they give to
their characters.
Red Badge of Courage; Chapter 12
Introduction
Those noble soldiers come
racing out of the woods. Henry
finally gets his "Red Badge of
Courage."
Answer the following questions fully.
1. What are the soldiers fleeing from?
What does Henry have to throw away?
What "voice" is Crane in when Henry tosses away the pamphlets?
2. Describe the retreating army.
3. How did Henry get hurt?
Does he seem badly hurt?
4. Who "rescues" Henry?
5. Why does the man help out Henry?
Why can’t Henry help himself?
Thought
The talkative man offers Henry
a better side of man at war
Describe that.
Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 13
Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 14
Introduction
Henry gets back to business.
Questions
Answer the following questions
fully.
1. What vision does Henry have
when he wakes up?
2. Why does he explode at his
"friend"?
How might the friend’s
kindness hurt Henry?
3. How has his friend changed?
Does Henry envy this?
How else does the friend show
"growth"?
4. What is the point of Wilson’s
little speech at the end of the
chapter?
What does Henry think?
Thought
Henry never actuallly
acknowledges his guilt. How
does his guiltiness show?
The Nature of Courage
Introduction
Henry keeps approaaching the
battle, then running away from
it.
Henrys Courage
Because we get to see into
Henrys head, we know all sort
of things about his vision of
battle.
Put the following mindsets in
order.
10__ Henry tries to return to the
front line
11__ Henry, while walking, tests
out if nature approved of his
running.
2__ Henry first doubts his
abilities and tries to
mathematically eliminate them..
5__ Henry feels himself joined
with the group and they win the
first skirmish.
13__ Henry gets hit in the head
by a retreating soldier
14__ Henry goes back tohis
corps and lies about his
"wound."
6__After the first skirmish,
Henry thinks that he is a hero.
3__ He becomes sure that they
all will die like pigs in the first
battle
4__ He feels it were better to get
killed.
9__ henry bums out when he
finds out his corps has survived.
12__ Henry gets shamed by the
other wounded officers.
"Where’s your hurt"?7__ Henry
freezes up in fear of the
approaching dragon, then runs
with his companions.
8__ Henry hopes his corps got
overrun
15__ Henry feels pretty smug
about his wound.
_1_ Henry imagines that he is
going to be a hero and do
mighty deeds of arms.
Continued on next page
Red Badge, Continued
Summary Overall,
what
has
been
the
pattern
of
Henry’s
selfesteem?
Courage
First, he thought:
Then, before battle, he thought
Then right after battle, he thought
Before he ran, he thought
As he walks back, he thinks
Now, back in camp, he thinks
To me, in this class, Courage is defined as "the spirit
needed to help you do things that are difficult to do."
Does Henry show that courage?
Does anyone in the novel show that courage?
What is the reward you have seen in the novel for
that sort of courage?
Thought
What would John Wayne have said to Henry while he
wa running?
What wouldhave happened to John Wayne in this
battle?
Red Badge: Chapter 16
Introdu
ction
Henry gets to watch more battles.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. What is the battle scene like when the first come to
it?
2. Henry starts to feel cocky. How do we know?
What stupid thing does he say?
3. What attitude does he take about war now?
4. Why does the Lieutenant shut him up.
5. Look at the last passage. Why is it so impersonal?
The Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 17
Introduction More fighting, more battle, more waiting.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. Crane slips into Henry’s voice here. What is henry’s
attitude?
What words show that?
What does Henry seem to remember about
yesterday?
2. Why is he angry? why does he feel rage? (think)
3. What happens during the battle?
What can he see?
What can he hear?
What can he feel?
4. What does the youth do wrong?
Why isn’t he proud to be a "war cat"?
5. Is he a hero?
How did he become one?
Red Badge:Chapter 18
Introduction Hero or fool, they get ready to get water, and then
to charge.
Questions Answer the following questions thoroughly.
1. What is happening to Jimmie Rogers?
2. Why did the two of them leave camp?
What do you suppose their real reason was?
3. What does thegeneral do near the wounded man?
What does that tell you about the general?
4. What order do they hear the general give?
5. How many of those ‘mule drivers" will come back?
6. What part of the message does Fleming
understand?
What does he miss?
7. The officers are compared to shepherds. How is
that true?
The Red Badge of Courage: Point of View
Introduction
Assignment
I am going to describe for you a
brief engagement between the
north and the south.
In groups of three, would you
tell the story of the battle from
your asigned point of view and
draw a picture of your speaker.
The Battle
These are the facts.
• A group of southern soldiers (24 plus an officer) are
dug in behind a stone wall in Northern Virginia.
• 200 yards away, 20 Union soldiers (20 plus one
officer) are resting at the edge of the woods.
• Between both is an old corn field, now bare.
• At 10 AM, the Union artillery (4 cannons) begins
shelling the Confederate side. 3 are wounded or
killed. The Confederates return fire. 1 is wounded or
killed.
• At noon, the Union squad affixes bayonets and
charges.
• In the next half hour, the union loses 10 men, the
Confederates lose 4.
• The Union forces briefly hold the wall, and then
retreat.
Continued on next page
, Continued
Points of view
In your group, write the story of
the battle from one of these
points of view
• 17 year old George Thurston,
private, 34th of New York.
• 42 year old Bill Matthews,
private, 112th of Georgia
• Captain Josiah Early, writing
to the mother of Sam Enderby,
private, 34th of New York.
• General George McClellan of
the Union Army. (not present at
battle)
• 18 year old Wing Knight,
private, 34th of New York,
killed at wall.
• 17 year old Tytus Downe,
private 112th of Georgia,
wounded in the back 100 yard
from the wall
• Nate Year, local weatherman
• 88 year old Marion Morrison,
private 112th of Georgia, 54
years after the battle.
Writing
Write a two page first person
story from the point of view of
your character above.
• Make sure you stay in the
right point of view. Your
character cannot know more
than they would,
• Remember the details of Civil
War battles,
• Stay psychologically true
• Use a metaphor for war or the
enemy.
Continued on next page
Red Badge, Continued
Process
Follow this procedure.
Step
Action
1
Describe the narrator
2
Begin the drawing
3
Write a rough outline of what the character will do
moment by moment in the battle
4
Finish the drawing in class
5
Take the Outline home and write the story
6
Be prepared to read the story aloud.
Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 19
Introduction Henry gets his chance at redemption.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. Crane changes tone a little here. What is the forest
doing to Henry?
2. Why does he charge cross the field like a lunatic?
3. When Crane writes that they "were becoming men
again," what does he mean?
4. What gets them to keep on attacking?
5. What happens to the flag?
Why did he want to stay close to it?
How is the death of the flag sargeant symbolic?
The Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 20
Introduction The attack falters and the lines fall back.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. Who finally gets to carry the flag?
How does he get it?
What does he think that allows him to do?
2. What allows the men some safety?
3. Why are they all slinking back to the lines?
4. What was the Lieutenant able to get his men to do?
5. What were they then able to do?
Is Henry shooting?
Thought
Early in the novel, Henry’s mother calls him a "damn
fool"? Has he done anything to disprove her? Explain.
The Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 21
Introduction The battle pauses, for a moment.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. How does another regiment react to the return of
Henry’s regiment?
2. Why was the regiment reproached?
3. What compliments does Wilson and Fleming
recieve?
What were they saying about the officers moments
before?
The Red Badge of Courage; Chapter 22
Introduction More battle to be had, among the combatants.
Questions Answer the following questions fully.
1. How does the description of battle change, now
that Henry isn’t a combatant?
Does the author seem to show a preference?
2. What is Henry doing?
3. How does the orderly sargeant get injured?
4. Why might Henry’s body be "revenge"?
5. Where was his friend?
The Red Badge of Courage; Chapter 23
Introduction More battle and a little courage or blood.
Questions Answer the following questions thoroughly.
1. How do the men react to the call to charge?
Why does that surprise Henry?
2. What do the Southerners do?
3. Why do you suppose Crane spends so much time
on the rival flag bearers death?
4. How do the prisoners act?
Which one seems to act as Henry would?
5. When the two men ccongratulate each other,
whatare they congratulating each other for?
How is that ironic?
The Red Badge of Courage: Chapter 24
Introduction Henry finally comes to a rest.
Questions Answer the following question thoroughly.
• How hs the boy changed? Crane writes that he now
has a "quiet manhood." What is that manhood?
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