The Red Badge Of Courage: Naturalistic Essay, Research Paper

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, one of the most important and renowned

books in American literature, defies outright classification, demoing traits of both the realist and

naturalist motions. It is a authoritative, nevertheless, exactly because it does so without giving

integrity or poignance. The Red Badge of Courage belongs unequivocably to the naturalist genre,

but pragmatism is besides present and used to great consequence. The struggle between these manners mirrors

the bloody clang of the war described in the book? and the ageless battle between good and

immorality in human nature.

There are many features in Crane? s novel that would more readily suit within the

class of pragmatism: the mundaneness of his characters, the usage of idiom, the portraiture of

supporter Henry Fleming as a complex person, the description of nature as disinterested in

human personal businesss, and the positive stoping of the narrative. Realism, frequently described as “ piece of life ” or

“ photographic ” authorship, efforts to portray life precisely as it is, without writhing it or make overing it to

tantrum it into preconceived impressions of what is appropriate or what is aesthetically delighting. In this

book, Crane relies on neither the oversimplified rationalism of classicist literature nor the

emotional idealism of romantic prose. Alternatively, he offers realistic, credible characters with

mean abilities. The soldiers are presented neither as heroic poem heroes nor as bloody-minded slayers ;

instead, their most noticeable trait is their overpowering normality. The soldiers of Henry? s

regiment expletive, battle, and argue merely like normal people. This earthy, farinaceous, mundane

manner is characteristic of pragmatism. A peculiar convention used by Crane in converting the reader

of his characters? being is dialect. The typical address of the soldiers enhances the

photographic consequence of the novel, imparting it genuineness.

Another typical trait of pragmatism is complexness of character? a trait readily apparent in Henry

Fleming. As he switches between cowardliness and gallantry, compassion and disdain, and

optimism and pessimism, the reader observes that he is more than merely a stereotype. He is a

individual with frights, hopes, dreams, and idiosyncrasies. Last, nature is frequently portrayed as indifferent or

disinterested in the personal businesss of world. Whereas naturalism involves accent on the ill will

of nature, pragmatism lacks this trait. For illustration, after contending a conflict, “ the young person [ feels ] a flash of

amazement at the blue, pure sky and the Sun glittering on the trees and Fieldss. It [ is ]

surprising that Nature [ has ] gone tranquilly on with her aureate procedure in the thick of so much

mischief ” ( 64 ) . Subsequently, when Henry takes safety in the forests, the sanctuary of the natural

universe seals out all sounds of the human struggle taking topographic point: “ It [ seems ] now that Nature [ has ]

no ears ” ( 79 ) . During a different conflict, “ the twenty-four hours [ grows ] more white, until the Sun [ radiances ] with

his full glow upon the thronged wood ” ? a symbol of pureness amid the bloody personal businesss of adult male

( 156 ) . Similarly, the fume of deathly conflict is contrasted with the unadulterated artlessness of

nature: “ A cloud of dark fume, as from smouldering ruins, [ goes ] up toward the Sun now bright

and homosexual in the blue enameled sky ” ( 165 ) . Crane detaches the war from the remainder of the universe,

saying that “ the universe [ is ] to the full interested in other affairs. Apparently, the regiment [ has ] its

little matter to itself ” ( 172 ) .

Last, the positive mentality with which the book concludes points to pragmatism. Whereas

naturalism would oppose the soldiers against impossible odds, a certain triumph “ [ shows ] them that

the proportions [ are ] non impossible ” ( 191 ) . Immersed in the sugariness of triumph, “ the yesteryear

[ holds ] no images of mistake and letdown ” ( 200 ) . At the book? s terminal, Henry reconciles

himself with his feelings of guilt and shame. He abandons war, and “ cicatrixs [ fade ] as flowers ”

( 223 ) . He retires to “ an being of soft and ageless peace ” ( 223 ) . A aureate beam of Sun at the

book? s near symbolizes the beam of hope Crane has for world. However, the lone beam is

about lost amid a mass of dark thunderheads. Correspondingly, although traits of pragmatism are

really apparent, baleful naturalism is ever present and normally dominant.

Naturalism, the pattern of utilizing scientific theory to develop and explicate characters and

events, is mostly negative and pessimistic, frequently stressing adult male? s powerlessness in impacting his

ain fate. Besides, the thoughts of development and natural choice figure conspicuously into naturalism.

The prevailing grounds why The Red Badge of Courage represents naturalism instead than

pragmatism are the portraiture of nature as hostile ( even more so than it is portrayed as indifferent ) , the

application of scientific discipline to war, and the accent on the powerlessness and deficiency of self-denial of

Crane? s characters. These subjects are stressed so to a great extent that the graduated tables tip toward naturalism.

Crane often portrays nature as hostile to adult male. As Henry runs from the forests, “ the

subdivisions, forcing against him, [ endanger ] to throw him ” ( 81 ) . “ Tree

s, facing him, [ stretch ]

out their weaponries and [ forbid ] him to go through ” ( 84 ) . At many times in the book, characters are

impeded and attacked by brambles and “ obdurate briers ” ( 155 ) . Nature? s leaf “ [ seems ] to veil

powers and horrors ” ( 174 ) . As the regiment moves through the forests, “ the forest [ makes ] a

awful expostulation ” ( 175 ) . In these and many other cases, nature is personified as immorality. It

threatens, reaches out, and grabs at soldiers, taking an active, hostile function, as if it were a human

enemy? even offering up a horrid, decomposing cadaver as a symbol of its immorality ( 88 ) . This is a cardinal

thought of naturalism.

Another dogma of realistic authorship is the application of scientific theory to secret plan and character.

Crane makes extended usage of scientific idiom and mentions outstanding theories of scientific discipline

throughout the novel. For illustration, when inquiring whether or non he will run from conflict,

Henry is called “ an unknown measure ” and “ obliged to experiment ” and “ accumulate

information, ” as if he were a variable in a scientific research lab process ( 17 ) . He tries “ to

mathematically turn out to himself that he [ will ] non run from a conflict ” and makes “ constant

computations ” to find whether or non he possesses sufficient bravery ( 22 ) . During a conflict,

Crane makes an allusion to Darwin? s theory of “ endurance of the fittest ” : while running, “ [ Henry

feels ] mistily that decease must do a first pick of the work forces who [ are ] nighest ; the initial

morsels for the firedrakes would be so those who [ are ] following him. So he [ shows ] the ardor

of an insane sprinter in his intent to maintain them in the rear. There [ is ] a race. ” After he

successfully flights, Henry justifies his flight by comparing his state of affairs to that of a squirrel.

When threatened, the squirrel turns and tallies, controlled entirely by natural inherent aptitude. Nature, he

claims, provides support to his statement with scientific “ cogent evidence ” ( 79 ) .

The most convincing statement that The Red Badge of Courage is a realistic novel is the

repeated accent that Henry and his military comrades are powerless and guided by forces

beyond their control. A primary maxim of naturalism is adult male? s deficiency of free will ; all is purportedly

determined for them by heredity or environment. Crane places great accent on homo

inability to move for oneself. He makes mentions to throng, crowds, and stampedes, indicating out

how single members are powerless to defy the will of the multitudes. “ As [ Henry runs ] with his

companions he strenuously [ attempts ] to believe, but all he [ knows ] is that if he [ falls ] down those coming

from behind [ will ] tread upon him? He [ feels ] carried along by a rabble ” ( 38 ) . Desiring to go forth

the crowd, Henry sees “ that it would be impossible for him to get away from the regiment. It

[ encloses ] him. And there [ are ] the Fe Torahs of tradition and jurisprudence on four sides. He [ is ] in a

traveling box ” ( 38 ) . This portraiture of adult male as at bay and incapable of opposition is cardinal to

naturalism. “ [ Henry ] had non enlisted of his free will, ” Crane adds. “ He had been dragged in by

the unmerciful authorities ” ( 38 ) . Crane compares the regiment to “ marionettes under a magician? s

manus ” and “ small pieces ” that the officers “ fit together ” ( 76 ) . This deficiency of control is exasperating to

Henry, who complains, “ ? We merely acquire fired around from pillar to post and acquire licked here and acquire

licked at that place, and cipher knows what it? s done for. It makes a adult male feel like a darn kitten in a

bag? ” ( 155 ) . Later on, when fired upon, the soldiers “ accept the rain of the slugs ” ? to defy

would be “ to endeavor against walls? to buffet themselves against granite ” ( 184 ) . Crane reiterates

many times that Henry and his comrades have no power over their state of affairs. All is determined

for them ; opposition is ineffectual.

In drumhead, The Red Badge of Courage is a realistic work with realistic inclinations. The

convincing, credible characters, the authentic-sounding idiom, the complexness of Henry? s

ideas, the occasional nonpartisanship of nature, and the optimistic stoping are representative of

pragmatism. However, nature is far more frequently shown as immorality or hostile. Scientific theory is applied to

Henry and to the events that befall him. And neither Henry nor anyone else has any control over

his destiny. All these are traits of naturalism. The realistic elements are prevailing throughout

most of the book, and although the stoping is oddly positive for a realistic work, it

show windows Crane? s alone position as an writer. The battle between negative and

positive, optimism and pessimism, and pragmatism and naturalism analogues the conflict between bluish

and grey described in the secret plan every bit good as humanity? s double faces of good and evil. Rejecting pure

naturalism as excessively simplistic, Crane implies that although worlds are capable to the barbarian

forces of nature, there is still hope to finally get at a better life. Adding a touch of pragmatism

to anneal the morbidity of his naturalism, Stephen Crane will be remembered far into the hereafter

as the writer of one of the most influential novels in American literature.