Describe The Elements Of Death :: essays research papers

Describe the elements of war and death in Stephen Cranes The RedBadge of Courage. This book is divided into two starts. In the first part the maincharacters, atomic number 1 Flemings. illusions disappear when confronted by the reality ofbattle(WAH 642). During the first battle he sees vague figures before him, butthey are driven away. In the following battle he is so frightened that he runs awaybecoming one of the first heroes in literature to actually desert his fellow soldiersin the field.While Henry is separated from his fellow soldiers, hewanders through the forest. There he experiences the kind ofillusions that predominate in all of the writings of Crane (WAH642). firstly he tells himself that nature does not blame him forrunning. Next he finds himself in a part of the woods that hebelieves is religious. The insects are praying and the foresttakes the appearance of a chapel. Henry is comfortable with thisuntil he finds a dead soldier in the heart of the chapel. Henry sees a n ant carrying a bundle across the brass of the deadsoldier. That view is beautiful in the sense of conveying greatemotion through minute detail(WAH 643). As he moves back henrysees a line of injured soldiers including his friend JimConklin,who is badly wounded and some other friend called the worn man. Trying to make up for deserting his friends, Henrytries to help Jim Conklin who is dying.After Conklin dies, thetattered man probes deeply into Henrys conscience by repeatedlyasking where ya hit(Bowers 132). Henry deserts the tatteredman.When Henry stops another soldier he asks him the novels mostimportant question which is why The soldier hits henry on thehead for starting trouble. Ironically this wound becomes HenrysRed Badge of Courage. Henry is then lead back to his regimentby a cheery soldier who helps wandering soldiers. This leadsHenry into the secondment half of the book. Henrys wanderings areover. Not until the end of the book does he ask questions. Mostof the repudiation s are complete heroes do not forever and a day act likeheroes no one understands the purpose of life or death naturemay be malevolent, probably no different, but is certainly notthe benevolent pantheist realm of the transcentalists, and God,is simply nowhere to be found(Weatherford 32).In the second part of the novel Henry beco0mes a war haler, the hero that he wanted to be originally when anotherbattle is over, all Henry has accomplished is negated. Manycritics found the last chapter confused and muttled, Henrysfeelings range from remorse to the sin which is not responsible