Symbols and Symbolism in Cranes The Red Badge of Courage Essay

Characters as Symbols in Cranes The going Badge of Courage The Red Badge of Courage was a satisfying novel in the way that the characters were portrayed. Crane hardly ever used the actual names of the passs. He simply described them as the loud soldier, the tall-stalked soldier, the cheery soldier, and the tattered soldier. Crane made the characters stand out in the use of describing them and promoting their relationship with Henry and his struggle during the dates. Crane did a fantastic problem with relating the different characters with different roles that Henry was involved in. The loud soldier, tall soldier, cheery soldier, and tattered soldier all have a significant part in creating the novel. The characters in the book are there to serve Henry by prompting him to action or reflection or by being a comparison or contrast to him. In The Red Badge of Courage, the loud soldiers real name was Wilson. His character dramatically changed as the novel progressed. At the starting line of the novel, Wilson is an extremely loud and boastful soldier. This is exactly how he received the name loud soldier. Wilson is initially loud, opinionated, and nave. For the first half of the book, Crane refers to him almost just as the loud soldier. Some examples of his loud and obnoxious self was when Crane described him as the loud one from a corner and when the loud soldier kept saying Huh, and shucks (Crane 11) When Henry and the loud soldier talk of fighting the loud soldier seemed so confident and self-assured that he said, Weve got em now. At last, by the eternal thunders, well lick em good (19) Another time Henry encounters the loud soldier he indignantly assures Henry that if battle occurs, he will... ...to help Henry. Overall, these characters have a strong role and relationship with Henry. Works Cited and Consulted Berryman, John, Stephen Crane A Critical Biography. 1950. Rpt. In Discovering Authors. Vers. 1.0. CD-ROM. Detriot Gale, 19 92. Bloom, Harold, ed. Modern Critical Interpretations Stephan Cranes The Red Badge of Courage. New Yourk Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Cody, Edwin H. Stephen Crane. Revised Edition. Boston Twayne Publishers, 1980. Crane, Stephen. The Red Badge of Courage. Logan, IA Perfection Learning Corporation, 1979. Gibson, Donald B. The Red Badge of Courage Redefining the Hero. Boston Twayne Publishers, 1988. Wolford, Chester L. Stephen Crane. Critical mess of Long Fiction. Ed. Frank N. Magill. English Language Series. Vol. 2. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Salem Press, 1991.