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A review by gautamgopalk
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Considered an American classic, The Red Badge of Courage written by Stephen Crane in the 1890s is a war novel from the point of view of a young soldier in the Union army during civil war. The novel deals with the emotions, thoughts and internal strife of this newly recruited soldier as he struggles with the philosophy of war and the cowardice arising from the impending sense of doom.
The focus of the story is on the internal monologues of the protagonist and the experiences of the senses in the battlefield. The author beautifully builds the external narrative in a slow methodical manner despite presenting the visual imagery and aural stimuli associated with war purely through the eyes and ears of one character. There is intermittent dialogue from a few other characters and vivid descriptions of nature and formations of the army with a generous use of metaphors. This is a short and pleasant read, written in a realistic style that endures the test of time.
The focus of the story is on the internal monologues of the protagonist and the experiences of the senses in the battlefield. The author beautifully builds the external narrative in a slow methodical manner despite presenting the visual imagery and aural stimuli associated with war purely through the eyes and ears of one character. There is intermittent dialogue from a few other characters and vivid descriptions of nature and formations of the army with a generous use of metaphors. This is a short and pleasant read, written in a realistic style that endures the test of time.