Henry's Symbolism In The Virtue Of Courage

Henry's independence at the beginning of the story is immediately threatened. This places a crucial part in the fear factor process. The army he dreamt that would fulfill his hopes of glory and honor was no where to be found. The threat of losing their individuality was forgotten when the soldiers move and prepare for combat. Henry gave himself to the saving embrace of the fellow members of his platoon. He was no longer an individual working for his own goal. He was a teammate, partner, member. Henry was now part of a shared persona which only had one desire. His regiment calmed him. The regiment banged with a mighty power. There was a consciousness from his fellow comrades that was shared. He felt a small brotherhood arising that was stronger
Nature and morality. The two used to intertwine, but now they are separated. Nature is now seen as something entirely new, exotic, and evil. The branches around him threaten to push him on top of the lifeless corpse. Henry realizes he is alone in this tomb. He immediately leaves and searches for the army to share his experience. But each time he tries, he utterly fails. An old friend finds Henry in the back near the wounded. Jim Conklin greets Henry. Jim looks in bad shape as they exchange words. Jim is told to get out of the way of a cart so he walks off the road and into the forest. Henry goes after him, but he only chases a dead man. Henry watches as Jim dies. After this he is befriended by a "tattered man". The tattered man asks Henry about his wounds, but this pushes Henry further into himself as he does not have the red badge. He wants to help the man, but he can't. He sees the tattered man as a symbol of death. Henry is becoming slowly more mature by all of these experiences. Henry leaves the tattered man by himself to die. He becomes a mindless soldier and continues on his journey of having the human nature revealed in him. (Rechnitz, 267-268) (Schaefer,