'The Red Badge of Courage' by Stephen Crane is not simply a war novel. It is an account of a young man's struggle to understand himself and the world, as well as deal with the burdens that come with it. Henry, the young soldier and protagonist of the book, slowly begins to understand the role of nature in a human's life and struggles with himself to resolve his conflicting beliefs about courage and cowardice. Throughout the novel he slowly transforms from a selfish and naive young man to a mature and seasoned soldier who understands what is truly important in life. These themes shine through through endless bloodshed and relentless gunfire, giving the book a more personal feel and allowing us to connect to it more deeply. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Courage and cowardice, especially Henry's connection to it, are predominant themes in the book. Henry doggedly pursues his romantic version of courage, of fearless men who rush into battle and emerge victorious or die gloriously. However, once he faces the reality of battle, his courage begins to wane and doubts arise, he is not sure if he will be brave enough: “He finally concluded that the only way to prove his worth was to go into the fire, and then figuratively speaking, observing his legs and discovering their strengths and weaknesses. (12) Henry constantly compares himself to his peers and his perception of courage has to do with how his peers praise him, constantly fearing that they would laugh at him if he did not prove himself worthy. When he returns to camp after fleeing the fighting, “He was convinced that he would soon feel the stinging missiles of ridicule in his aching heart.” (67) He often considers himself a coward. However, during Henry's bravest moment in battle, he hardly noticed the courage he was demonstrating; he is aware of nothing except the heat, noise, and sound of his own gun. The role of nature in war and human affairs is one of the main topics of the book. Explore Henry's connection to it and his reflections on how it works. The natural world goes on with its business, regardless of the horrors and atrocities committed within it. Henry considers it a safe haven and often seeks the comfort of nature when he feels overwhelmed by battle: “The landscape gave him security. A fair field that hosts life. It was the religion of peace." (41)Later, Henry learns that the universe has complete disregard for human life. His vain beliefs about death, courage and glory do not interest him, and Henry is confronted with this when he sees a dead corpse under a tree. “The eyes, staring at the young man, had changed to a dull shade that can be seen on the side of a dead fish. The mouth was open, its red had changed to a scary yellow. (42) Henry realizes that there is nothing glorious about death and that it is simply part and parcel of nature. Henry's impression of nature as a peaceful refuge from war is shattered. He understands that the vast universe has no regard for human life and that everyone has a duty to protect not only themselves but also those around them. Somewhere, under the relentless attack of the enemy army, Henry matures from a naive boy to a wise one. Man. At first he imagines that a uniform is all you need to be a hero. He constantly compares himself to others and considers himself intellectually superior. However, he finds the true meaning of friendship and loyalty in Wilson and begins to.