When I started reading the "Red badge of Courage" by Steven Crane, I was very pessimistic about the nature of the reading. Maybe it was the fact that it was mandatory for class, but nothing about this small book seemed exciting. As I started reading, I was stunned to find out how relative this text was to me. One of the biggest goals and ideals in my life is to serve this country and the people. Even thought at times it appears sounding fanatical and cheesy, this is my calling in life. When I took the ASVAB exam this year I finally felt like I was a step closer to my goal. If I have enlisted before taking this class I would have missed out on the opportunity, to know more about what a soldier's life is all about. I have read many books on the matter of war, seen many Hollywood masterpieces on the topic, but have missed maybe the most important thing. War doesn't only take place at a field, country, continent, sea, air and space, it's in the heart of every soldier carrying a weapon and entering the battlefield. The meaningless killing of thousands has occurred many times thru the course of history and the reasons were many. What you can't capture on a photo, with words, or at the studio of a multi-million dollar movie is the raw emotion within the warrior.
             What really intrigued me about the novel and the main character was indeed the fact that Henry Fleming was young. Throughout the whole novel Steven Crane uses the "young soldier" or the "youth" to describe or address Henry. I was actually happy to see writing about a new recruit, not the conquests and endless battles of a mid-aged veteran, with a big scar across the face.
             Henry is really young and naive. I felt relating to his attraction in traditional models of courage and honor. He romanticizes the image of dying in battle by invoking the Greek tradition of a dead soldier being laid upon his shield.
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