I have heard many good reviews of the RED BADGE OF COURAGE. I have heard how wonderful it is and the dramatic scenes it holds. When I read the book, honestly, I was disappointed. I didn't understand most of it; it was confusing. I wasn't the only one who thought so, most of my peers did not understand it either. In some parts, it just went on, and on, and on, and on; there were parts when it got really boring. The part I did understand was okay.

Mainly, the story is about a young soldier named Henry Fleming, the youth. He enlists into the army of the North side during the Civil War. He is glad to join, but then, he begins to doubt himself and he is afraid he will run instead of fighting in battle. Indeed, he runs away, but then discovers that he is a coward. Henry has a second chance to prove his bravery, in which he succeeds.

If you understand the main point of the story, and you understand the symbolism such as the squirrel, and Jim Conklin dying, then it become pretty good. But if you read it and not pay attention to every single thing it describes, it gets boring. That was my problem, I wasn't paying attention to EVERY little thing that happened. In conclusion, I thought this book was okay (if you understand it), but it's not the BEST book I've read about war. A good war book is ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

I am a fan of stories that pertain to war and suspense, but "The Red Badge of Courage" is not a typical war story. Instead, it is an account of a youth whose battlefield is his mind. The approach which Stephen Crane, the author, took surprised me, because I had expected a story in which the main conflict was that the characters fought their physical enemy. Although the book was quite short, the content of the novel is breath-taking. The manner the author uses to describe settings, thoughts of fears going on inside of the youth's head, and battle scenes is fascinating. The story takes place during the Civil War, and Crane gives an excellent view of what soldiers might have been thinking while fighting, awaiting the day when the torture of war would end. I enjoyed this journey of a young man struggling to overcome the greatest of his fears, and I would strongly recommend "The Red Badge of Courage" to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Stephen Crane has written an excellent work in The Red Badge of Courage. This book takes place in a period of two days, giving Crane plenty of room to expand on his themes and go into great detail. This book catches the reader's attention by presenting the Civil War in such great detail that the reader cannot help but picture the scenes in their own mind.

The Red Badge of Courage tells the story of a youthful boy, Henry Flemming, who goes to war. After many rumors of battle cause Henry to doubt his courage when faced with battle, Henry's group finally goes into battle. Henry does not run away during the fighting, and gains confidence. However, the second battle that he sees causes him to flee. The rest of the story tells of How Henry comes to terms with his fear, and eventually returns to the battle line.

The only complaint that any reader could have is that Crane uses almost too much detail. Because there is so much detail, the reader could loose track of the plot. The great detail is, however, what makes this such an outstanding book. Any reader that can get "into" a book will thoroughly enjoy The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.