The Red Badge of Courage

Stephen Crane’s classic Civil War novel of a young man named Henry Fleming and his struggle with the desire to be a “good soldier” and the dreadful thought that he might be a coward.
Henry begins his military service as a naïve young man eager to experience the “glory” of war. He soon faces the truth about war and his own self-identity on the battlefield. As the first encounter with the enemy approaches, Henry wonders if he will be brave in the face of death. In fact Henry does panic and flees the battle. Fortunately he returns to his company and is not considered a deserter. This experience sets him on a journey of self-discovery as he struggles with his conscience and re-examines his opinions about war, friendship, courage and life.
This book was once “mandatory reading” for those in the older generation. It was a great read then and still is today.