Fear, Humility, and Courage in The Red Badge of Courage
             In The Red Badge of Courage Henry Fleming, the main character grows up in a small town and signs up for the army against his mother will because he dreams of being a hero. Henry enlists in the 304th Regiment of New York Volunteers. However, after Henry joins the regiment he finds that his emotions are all mixed up. Henry wonders how he will act when confronted with enemy fire. In The Red Badge of Courage, Crane uses symbolism to show Henry's feeling of fear, humility, and courage.
             "The Red Badge of Courage is laden with symbols and images" (Crane, Stephen... 2). After Henry joins the army he has some doubts about how he will perform while in battle. Henry is afraid that once he sees the enemy he will run. In the beginning of The Red Badge of Courage Wilson symbolizes fear. Wilson is known as the loud soldier in the novel. At first Wilson tells Henry that he will fight well and not run away. Henry then asks him how he knows that he won't run from the battle. Wilson laughs and then leaves because he is mad at Henry for asking that question. However Wilson is also afraid. Before a battle he gives Henry a letter to give to his family after his death, "for Wilson is sure he is about to die" (Barron 1). Both Henry and Wilson both have fear in them. Wilson is "obnoxious, and does not realize how scared he is" (The Red... 6). Later, when Henry returns to the regiment he finds that Wilson has changed. Wilson does not seem to be afraid anymore and ask Henry for his letter back. "The change in suggests that Henry will mature as well" (The Red... 6).
             The tattered soldier represents humility in The Red Badge of Courage. The tattered soldier does not have a name. Henry calls him the tattered soldier because of his serious wounds. The tattered soldier is wounded in the arm and head. Henry envies the tattered soldiers ...