Thesis

The book Red Badge of Courage shows how war is bad for everyone involved in any way.



The wemen are the ones to be hurt by it more then anyone because they have to keep the farms up and running and do all the work. It is hard to do all that and raise a family at the same time. But his mother had discouraged him. She had affected to look with some contempt upon the quality of his war ardor and patriotism. She could calmly seat herself and with no apparent difficulty give him many hundreds of reasons why he was of vastly more importance on the farm than on the field of battle. She had had certain ways of expression that told him that her statements on the subject came from a deep conviction. Moreover, on her side, was his belief that her ethical motive in the argument was impregnable. (Crane 1.20) His mom was worried because she would have to do all the work on the farm without him. Just the fact that whe would be there all the time incase something happened.


Here is Henry's mother talking about why he shouldn't go. She is manly worrid about the fact that he might change, and start drinking and swearing. She was worried the older men that have been there before and been through the fighting and are a little crazy will try and lead him away. She wants him to still be a good kid and stay safe. Still, she had disappointed him by saying nothing whatever about returning with his shield or on it. He had privately primed himself for a beautiful scene. He had prepared certain sentences which he thought could be used with touching effect. But her words destroyed his plans. She had doggedly peeled potatoes and addressed him as follows: "You watch out, Henry, an' take good care of yerself in this here fighting business--you watch, an' take good care of yerself. Don't go a-thinkin' you can lick the hull rebel army at the start, because yeh can't. Yer jest one little feller amongst a hull lot of others, and yeh've got to keep quiet an' do what they tell yeh. I know how you are, Henry. (Crane 1.26) "An' allus be careful an' choose yer comp'ny. There's lots of bad men in the army, Henry. The army makes 'em wild, and they like nothing better than the job of leading off a young feller like you, as ain't never been away from home much and has allus had a mother, an' a-learning 'em to drink and swear. Keep clear of them folks, Henry. I don't want yeh to ever do anything, Henry, that yeh would be 'shamed to let me know about. Jest think as if I was a-watchin' yeh. If yeh keep that in yer mind allus, I guess yeh'll come out about right (Crane 1.28) All good points on why he shouldn't go. This goes to show all of the bad things that can happen in a war not even to mention death. She is very worried about Henry.



I have talked about how bad it is for the people that are not even there how about the people that are over there fighting. Another had the gray seal of death already upon his face. His lips were curled in hard lines and his teeth were clinched. His hands were bloody from where he had pressed them upon his wound. He seemed to be awaiting the moment when he should pitch headlong. He stalked like the specter of a soldier, his eyes burning with the power of a stare into the unknown. (Carne 8.22) How unbelivable would that be to walk up on? I think that is what Crane is trying to show here how bloody and bad it was, and how we can't even imagine how bad it was. He is showing the fact people die and put there lives on the line but what is it getting us? I think this book was trying to show how it does really get us anywhere. At the end it says they won the war but how do you call that winning? Thats up to you.