The Red Badge of Courage



The Red Badge of Courage

by Stephen Crane

Chapter 1

1. What is the main character’s reaction to the war which is taking place?(p.3)

2. What is the significance of Crane making historic references such as to Homer and the Greeks?

3. Comment on the dialogue and vocabulary thus far in the story. What does it tell you about place and time? Why is it important that it never be altered, should be story be reedited and updated?

4. What does Henry’s mother tell him about his duty when enlisted? (P.5)

5. What juxtaposition of imagery is found on p. 6? This type of contrast will be found often throughout this story. Why is this an effective technique to use?

6. The first of many references to color is made on p.7. To what does “a part of a vast blue demonstration” refer?

7. How does the author consistently refer to his main character, instead of using his name? Why would he have done this?

8. Define foreshadowing. An example of foreshadowing, again a commonly used technique, is found on pgs. 7-8. Where is this example, and why is it foreshadowing? Why is the wording of this example important to the technique of foreshadowing?

9. Many terms will be used which, historically, you might not be familiar with. To what/whom do the words ‘Yank’ and ‘Johnnies’ refer to?

Chapter 2

1. Define metaphor. Metaphorically, to what is the youth comparing bravery and battle? p.11

2. The youth fears two things. What are they? P. 12

3. Explain the line, “He was convicted by himself of many shameful crimes against the gods of traditions.” p. 12

4. Throughout this chapter, as with the novel, color is an important factor. Find three passages where color is employed to effectively capture/establish mood. Cite the passages with their page numbers.

5. Define personification. Find an example of personification. Cite the passage, and its page number. P.16, 18

Chapter 3

1. Explain the passage on p. 21: “...he instantly saw that it would be impossible for him to escape from the regiment. It inclosed him. And there were iron laws of tradition and law on four sides. He was in a moving box.” What figurative device is this?

2. What evidence is there that the youth’s fear of battle and his own merit within battle are increasing?

3. What reassurance does the youth try to give himself that he will be able to stand in battle? P.24

Chapter 4

1. What discussion takes place at the beginning of this chapter?

2. Define simile. Find two examples of this device within this chapter.

3. What mood is left for the youth and the reader at the end of this chapter? How is this achieved?

Chapter 5

1. Of what does the youth have a memory at the beginning of the chapter? How is this blended in with the reality of his current situation?

2. Find two more examples of simile. Why do you think this is such a recurring device used by Crane?

3. How does the youth initially react when faced with the reality of a battle? p.33

4. What is ‘war atmosphere’?

What is ‘battle sleep’? Would both phrases be specific only to this civil war? Explain you response.

5. Find an example of repetition on p.36. Why would this style device be used?

6. What contrast does the youth himself note at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 6

1. Why is the youth compared, metaphorically, to a ‘jaded horse’? Why is this description appropriate?

2. List 5 words or phrases from p.39 which capture the vision and mood of what the youth saw and felt. How do these choices help to explain his decision to flee?

3. Why did the youth run on this occasion, not during the first encounter?

4. How does the mood of the youth, as he flees, contrast with the mood of those fighting?

Give proof.

5. Explain the passage on p.40: “Death about to thrust him between the shoulder blades was far more dreadful than death about to smite him between the eyes.”

Chapter 7

1. What is a moral dilemma? Explain the effectiveness of the first line of this chapter. How does it focus the reader on the issue of moral dilemma?

2. Why does the mood and thinking of the youth turn against his comrades, who stayed and fought?

3. An image of sanctuary is given on p.45. Cite the passage which holds this image, and explain the concept of sanctuary. Where else in the chapter is this image seen?

4. How is the peace of the youth’s surrounding shattered? He had seen death before. Why did this have such a dramatic effect upon him?

Chapter 8

1. What contrasting images are seen at the beginning of this chapter? In what way is this effective for both the reader and the youth?

2. Define irony? What irony does the youth see in his own actions at the beginning of this chapter?

3. The colours blue and gray are recurrent throughout this novel. To what do they literally, and sometimes figuratively, refer. Consider the history of this story carefully before selecting your answer. What is the difference between literal and figurative?

4. What dilemma faces the youth at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 9

1. From what does this novel gain its chosen title?

2. What does juxtaposition mean? What juxtaposing thoughts does the youth have about wounded persons?

3. Why do you think Crane chose to identify his characters by name only during dialogue, and in third person with descriptors such as ‘tall’, ‘ loud’, and ‘tattered’?

4. What double meaning could there be in the line (p.55), “...they perceived that his face wore an expression telling that he had at last found the place for which he had struggled”?

5. Explain ‘philippic’, found on p.57. You must not just copy a meaning for the word; rather, research to determine other words which could take its place for meaning. Why is this word appropriate for the changing mood of the youth? What has caused this mood to change thus?

Chapter 10

1. Describe the character of the ‘tattered’ soldier, based on the dialogue he has in this chapter? Why is dialogue an effective style device for Crane to use, based on the narrative he is relating?

2. What can the reader tell about the personality of the youth, based on this chapter?

Support your observations with examples from the chapter.

3. Explain the statement on p.60: “The simple questions of the tattered man had been knife thrusts to him.”

Chapter 11

1. Define pathos. Find the use of this term in this chapter and explain it.

2. This story is not one of man vs man conflict, although the American Civil War was just that. What is the dominant form of conflict in this story? Find two examples from this chapter to support your choice.

3. What did the youth hope would happen, to save him from his own fear of surviving with his cowardice?

4. What state of mind is Fleming in by the end of this chapter? What is causing this?

Chapter 12

1. In what terms does the youth express the horror he is feeling about battle? Give 4 examples of words and phrases which reflect this horror.

2. Throughout this story, Crane has attempted to appeal the senses of the reader. Give 3 examples, of sight - sound - smell - which reflect this sensory style. Why is this an important element of Crane’s style, based on the fact that: he is depicting a real war;

and, he did not himself participate in that war.

3. The youth has yet another flashback. Of what? And why?

4. What is the importance of the last paragraph of this chapter?

Chapter 13

1.The youth was wounded in chapter 12. How?

What irony is involved with this wound in this chapter?

2. What role does the ‘loud’ soldier play with regard to the youth?

3. As with the ‘tattered’ soldier, what do learn about the ‘loud’ soldier based on the dialogue between him and the youth? What do we learn about the youth in this case?

Chapter 14

1. Based on the early conversation between the youth and the loud soldier, what irony does there seem to be in the description ‘loud’ continuing to be applied to the second young soldier?

2. How has the ‘loud’ soldier changed? What has caused this changed?

3. Explain the chapter ending.

Chapter 15

1. Explain the following, found on p.84: “The latter (the youth) felt immensely superior to his friend, but he inclined to condescension. He adopted toward him an air of patronizing good humor...His self-pride was now entirely restored.”

What is the message being delivered by Crane through the youth, and the narrative?

2. The sentence structure and vocabulary throughout this novel will, in many cases, be new to readers. Describe, with reference only to this chapter, how sentence structure varies differently from that which a more modern audience might be used to, and give examples of 5 words or phrases with contextual meaning, again only from this chapter.

What is the overall effect of the structure and the vocabulary on: the reading of the book; the appropriateness to the storyline; the drama of the story?

Chapter 16

1. What metaphor is used to begin this chapter?

2. Describe, in your own words, the battle scene the youth is observing.

3. How does the youth’s guilty conscience again catch up with him?

4. What does the general morale of the troops tell you about the tone of this war?

5. Explain the final simile of this chapter.

Chapter 17

1. How is animal imagery used effectively in this chapter? Identify no less than two examples.

2. Is this chapter the climax of this story? If so, why? If not, why not, and where would the climax be?

3. Historically, what is the copyright date of this story? In terms of the contents of this chapter, why is the date an important factor to remember when reading?

Chapter 18

1. What is implied by having a ‘geographical illusion’(p.97)?

2. In what way does the tone/mood of this chapter alter from chapter 17? Give two examples to reflect this change.

3. Explain the last paragraph of this chapter.

Chapter 19

1. Compare and contrast the sense of battle within this chapter to that found in chapter 16.

Why is there a difference here?

2. Is this chapter the climax of this story? If so, why? If not, why not, and where would the climax be? (Compare and contrast with your answer in chapter 17.)

Chapter 20

1. What irony of shame does the youth experience in this chapter? Does he recognize this irony? Why or why not?

2. What is the mood of this chapter? Give 4 examples of where this is clearly reflected in the words/phrases/descriptions of the author.

3. What are your impressions of the youth as he observes/participates? What led to these impressions?

Chapter 21

1. What perception of time and place does the youth experience following the battle, and return to camp? What does this tell you of war?

2. What are your impressions of the youth in this chapter? Do these impressions compare/contrast to your previous impressions? Explain.

3. What lessons of war are learned?

Chapter 22

1. Which images of war are poignant in this chapter? (This is not the same as the lessons learned in chapter 21.) Refer to specific examples, with page numbers.

2. How does the tone of this chapter contrast to the previous?

Chapter 23

1. Explain the following:(p.122)

“There was new and unexpected force in the movement of the regiment. A knowledge of its faded and jaded condition made the charge appear

like a paroxysm, a display of the strength that comes before a final feebleness.”

2. P.124 How is possible for a person to center “the gaze of his soul”? What do these carefully selected words tell you about the youth and the situation?

3. How is color an important device in this chapter?

Chapter 24

1.Summarize the last chapter with:

a) your final impressions of this youth

b) your impressions of the war he was involved in

c) your closing remarks regarding Stephen Crane’s reasons for writing a story about a war he never fought, and the success of his story

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