The novel chronicles the complete growth of this young man, who somehow changes from a tempestuous and immature adolescent to a war-weary adult, over the course of just a few days. Henry begins the book as an idealistic and completely self-absorbed teenager who wants nothing more than a chance to show off and be thought of as a brave and daring male.
He longs to wear a uniform and carry a gun — to have females "ooh" and "ah" over him. Unfortunately, for Henry this manhood comes at a steep price. The process he undergoes forces him to acknowledge his own cowardice and selfishness.
It also makes him take a long, painful look at his own reserves of bravery and loyalty. Through the course of the novel and the course of several battles , Henry discovers that he can transcend his own fears; he can be brave even in the face of his own very possible death. As the text says, "There was the delirium that encounters despair and death, and is heedless and blind to the odds.
It is a temporary but sublime absence of selfishness" Henry learns that all men face and feel the same emotions, and that the world does not care one iota what happens to Henry Fleming. This last revelation is both horrifying and freeing in equal measure.
It is obvious that the obtainment of and displaying of courage are the primary themes of the novel. At first, Henry has some very romantic notions about courage and war. He assumes that he will come home a hero, or not come home at all. His death at this point is a mere abstraction to him.
He has no concept of what is actually involved in fighting. He has never even seen a dead body. Suddenly, it appears that courage is something that other men have, but a thing that he clearly does not possess. Courage, and the lack of it, is now his main obstacle and obsession. When he gives in to his fear and runs from the battlefield, he is hideously ashamed, but he also quickly rationalizes that this is something any thinking human or animal would do under those same circumstances.
As time goes on, Henry becomes more daring, and by the end of the novel, he has become a more mature and seasoned man who has faced the very worst. As Henry marches victoriously from battle, his notions of courage are now more complex and realistic.
He showed a quiet belief in his purposes and his abilities. Related Characters: Henry Fleming the youth , Wilson the loud young soldier, the youth's friend. Page Number and Citation : 86 Cite this Quote. Chapter 15 Quotes. His self pride was now entirely restored.
In the shade of its flourishing growth he stood with braced and self-confident legs, and since nothing could now be discovered he did not shrink from an encounter with the eyes of judges, and allowed no thoughts of his own to keep him from an attitude of manfulness. He had performed his mistakes in the dark, so he was still a man. Page Number and Citation : 90 Cite this Quote. Chapter 17 Quotes. It was revealed to him that he had been a barbarian, a beast. He had fought like a pagan who defends his religion.
Regarding it, he saw that it was fine, wild, and, in some ways, easy. And he had not been aware of the process. He had slept and, awakening, found himself a knight. Chapter 19 Quotes. Within him, as he hurled himself forward, was born a love, a despairing fondness for this flag which was near him. It was a creation of beauty and invulnerability.
It was a goddess, radiant, that bended its form with an imperious gesture to him. It was a woman, red and white, hating and loving, that called him with the voice of his hopes.
Because no harm could come to it he endowed it with power. Related Symbols: Flags. Chapter 21 Quotes. He discovered that the distances, as compared with the brilliant measurings of his mind, were trivial and ridiculous. The stolid trees, where much had taken place, seemed incredibly near. The time, too, now that he reflected, he saw to have been short. He wondered at the number of emotions and events that had been crowded into such little spaces. Chapter 22 Quotes. A spluttering sound had begun in the woods.
It swelled with amazing speed to a profound clamor that involved the earth in noises. The splitting crashes swept along the lines until an interminable roar was developed. To those in the midst of it it became a din fitted to the universe.
It was the whirring and thumping of gigantic machinery, complications among the smaller stars. Chapter 23 Quotes. The mob of blue men hurling themselves on the dangerous group of rifles were again grown suddenly wild with an enthusiasm of unselfishness The youth's friend went over the obstruction in a tumbling heap and sprang at the flag as a panther at prey. He pulled at it and, wrenching it free, swung up its red brilliancy with a mad cry of exultation even as the color bearer, gasping, lurched over in a final throe and, stiffening convulsively, turned his dead face to the ground.
Related Symbols: Corpses , Wounds , Flags. Chapter 24 Quotes. He felt a quiet manhood, nonassertive but of sturdy and strong blood. He knew that he would no more quail before his guides wherever they should point. He had been to touch the great death, and found that, after all, it was but the great death. He was a man. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1. A young private, Henry Fleming , listens to Jim and returns to his bunk to think. As a youth, he Henry suspects that education, religion, and daily concerns have sapped the greatness from men that was Now faced with the possibility of battle, Henry realizes he doesn't really know how he'll act: will he fight courageously, or will he Chapter 2.
Jim was wrong: for several days afterwards, the regiment doesn't move. Henry remains nervous about his courage, realizing that an actual battle will be the only way One morning, a colonel appears on horseback with orders, and Henry 's regiment marches to join other soldiers in formation. As they walk, the infantrymen boast and After a long march, the soldiers make camp. Henry feels homesick and isolated from the others.
He meets a friend, the loud soldier Wilson, Chapter 3. One morning, Henry is kicked awake by Jim. The soldiers are soon running toward spatters of gunfire. The fast-moving mass of soldiers divides to pass a corpse in a worn-out blue uniform. Henry stares at its eyes, looking for any kind of answer, but the mob of soldiers Less nervous now than curious, Henry watches the battle lines stretch over the landscape.
Guns flash and the noise grows to a roar. Wilson taps Henry on the shoulder and, with fear in his voice, tells Henry he expects to get Chapter 4. The battle rages in front of Henry 's regiment.
Soldiers watch and argue about its progress, claiming that various parts of their army Artillery shells and bullets start hitting the ground and trees around Henry 's position.
Their lieutenant is shot in the hand and swears so terribly that his men In the distant smoke, Henry sees a Union battle flag fall over. Suddenly, a mob of blue soldiers retreats through Henry realizes that if he started to run, nothing could compel him to stop.
But he Chapter 5. Henry 's regiment was supposed to have served in this battle as reinforcements. But now, with the The screaming mob of enemies approaches through the trees. Without waiting, Henry fires a first wild shot. As his regiment starts blazing away, Henry 's individual anxieties disappear The lieutenant collars a soldier trying to run away and beats him back into line. Henry sees several soldiers get shot, their faces looking betrayed, their bodies dropping into awkward poses Henry 's regiment repels the enemy charge.
Gunfire gives way to the regiment's triumphant cheers. The soldiers Henry watches the scene around him. A battery of artillery guns is lobbing shells overhead. Chapter 6. After a quick nap, Henry wakes and reflects with delight that the test of his courage is over. He feels Henry feels intimidated by the persistence of the enemy.
Who are these guys, anyway? Didn't they As the fighting begins, a soldier near Henry jumps up and runs away howling. Soon other soldiers drop their guns and flee. Henry runs past a battery of artillery gunners and sees reinforcements coming. He feels these soldiers, Chapter 7.
Upon hearing about his regiment's surprising victory, Henry feels as guilty as a criminal. He resents the "stupidity" of his fellow soldiers who Confused and mentally anguished, Henry wanders into the thick woods. He throws a pine cone at a squirrel who runs Henry pushes deeper into the silent woods to a grove with high branches that resembles a Chapter 8.
Curious, Henry Henry runs into a column of bloodied wounded soldiers returning from the front. One laughs and Walking along, Henry is approached by a dirty, tattered man with two wounds in his head and arm Chapter 9. Henry tries to blend in with the wounded soldiers. But after the tattered man's questions, he The graying spectral soldier walks at Henry 's side, refusing everyone's offers to help him. Henry suddenly recognizes him as Jim Conklin.
Spurred on by some strange energy, Jim suddenly bolts away into the fields. Henry is terrified by the sight and chases after Jim with the tattered man. When Jim Henry is spellbound by Jim's corpse. He stares into Jim's paste-like face and, when Jim's jacket Unlike the veteran soldiers whom he encounters during his first battle, Henry is not jaded.
On the other hand, because he is young, Henry has yet to experience enough to test these abstractions. As a result, his most passionate convictions are based on little else than fantasies, making him seem vain and self-centered.
The philosophical underpinnings of the war do not motivate him; neither does any deeply held, personal sense of right and wrong. Instead, Henry desires a reputation. He hopes that an impressive performance on the battlefield will immortalize him as a hero among men who, because of the domesticating effects of religion and education, rarely distinguish themselves so dramatically.
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