RBD: Chapter Thirteen.

Henry walked towards his regiment and came across a man who seemed to be standing guard. The man asked who was there and Henry thought the voice was the voice of Wilson. It was him and they reunited with each other. Henry told Wilson of what had "happened" to him. His story was that he had a very tough time and was shot in the head. This was a lie though, unless you consider his emotional stress. He was actually hit with a rifle and it wasn't from the enemy as he made it seem. Wilson was immediately concerned. Henry had that heroic thing about him if he thought about it now. Even if it was a lie. Wilson called for others and some took good care of Henry. They fixed him up and gave him some resting time. Henry looked all around at the people and you would think guilt would fill him, but it doesn't say so. I think guilt should have filled him when he returned because he did not even fight yet he was getting all this good treatment from his men.

RBC: Chapter Twelve.

Battles are breaking out again and just as Henry wanted they started to retreat. He soon finds the men around him and he is in the midst of ti. He came across a man whom he tried to ask what was going on and the man said to leave him alone. When Henry persisted in asking the man things became rough. He pulled at his arm which was in the clutch of Henry and ended up pulling so forcefully that it came the man came back and hit Henry in the head. Henry began bleeding and his legs started to seem, like they could not longer hold him up. He started back and pondered on whether he should stop to lay down or keep going to find a certain spot. He was going along when he came across a concerned man. This man with a cheery voice offered him help. He took Henry on his way with him in order to guide him back tio his regiment. They arrived at Henry's destination and the man strode away, but Henry realized he had not even seen the man's face.

RBC: Chapter Eleven.

Looking at the men going out to battle brings him to more guilt and again more covering it up. Each time we see everything he has done can be justified as having a good reason for doing so. This being because he cannot just be okay with taking it that he did run. Instead he builds himself up and makes himself feel better by saying things that may be wrong with him or that it was for the good of others in the end to make it better for him. Henry was greedy and even even pinned himself to be selfish. He always felt low for what had happened. He thought if he saw men retreat from a battle then it would make them no better than he. This way they would be on the same level and he could not feel as bad. They would be equal or "symmetrical". This was always an internal battle Henry had. He wanted that glory, pride, and bravery, but he knew he did not deserve it. The boyhood dream of becoming a hero to many who was looked up to seemed it would not come after all. Henry thought that if the others did end up retreating and ultimately he got his pride back that it would be a life saver. He could then be successful and live up to what he wants. His mind was boggling around these many thoughts, but it almost seemed wrong to him that he want his people to lose. It is like he is signing them off for murder and he was at fault. "A defeat of the army had suggested itself to him as a means of escape from the consequences of his fall" (29). When he came to the conclusion that maybe they would not lose the battle he began to ponder what he was going to use as an excuse now. He could find nothing and so feared his return. He questioned what if they laugh at him for what they had done and what if they decided to keep a special; watch on him. He was worried about these many things and has been for some time.

RBC: Chapter Ten.

The tattered man is still in awe over how Jim had so much strength in the time when he would be thought weakest. Henry began to notice that the tattered man was turning a shade of blue. He did not want him to die too. He says that there is no way he is going to die too. He will not because he has his children at home that need him. It was just an impossibility that he would die now. The man went off on a tangent about how wounds are not always see, but still are there. That maybe that was what happened to Henry. This topic had brought grand conviction upon him and he wanted to get out of it. Henry begins to notice that this man is acting like Jim did. Like dumb and animal like. The disease seemed to be there. Henry is mistaken by the tattered man for his friend and he seems to have gone crazy. Henry wishes he were almost dead. He had envy for those dead soldiers laying there. The things the tattered man said "thrust like a knife". He knew he could not keep his running from the battle a secret forever.

RBC: Chapter Nine.

Henry was in the midst of all these wounded men and began to realize that they all seemed to have battle wounds. These injuries were like a symbol of glory, honor, and deserved praise. He did not have any. He said it to be like a "Red badge of courage". The courage he had not shown. He came across a man whose emotions showed that of great despair. He then noticed that the man was his friend, Jim Conklin. This was a startling conclusion to find. Jim had been shot, but when Henry tried to help him out it was as if he was not needed. Henry was, however, a very loyal friend just as Jim said he would have been for him in that position. They walked on when suddenly a tremor hit Jim. He grabbed at the youth's arm and told Henry that he was afraid the artillery wagons would run him over if he fell. It passed and he seemed to forget the fears. The tattered soldier came to Henry and told him that Jim was in the road some time later and that he would surely get run over if he did not move. He seemed to have something wrong with him. He had to be coaxed out of the road by Henry. He was going to have him come over into the field, but Jim ran off into a clump of bushes. This could cause him to get hurt though so they were concerned. Jim kept saying to leave him alone and not touch him. Henry tried to be there for him and help by asking what was wrong and trying to figure out why he was doing this. Jim began to shake and convulse. After he collapsed and died. The agony was over the tattered soldier and Henry, but they could do nothing, only watch. Walking closer they found that where his jacket had covered and now fallen away from his body it looked like wolves had chewed on Jim. In anger and rage Henry stood up and lifted his fist towards the battle field. He seemed to be cursing it or rather what war seemed to be able to do.

General Notes,

motifs: distinctive feature or dominant idea
*noise/silence- from nature to battle
*light/dark
*clean/dirty- way they treated their clothing- they only had one uniform. (lieutenant, for example, held his bleeding hand away from his pants).
*youth/maturity- courage to stay or run?

symbols: objects, characters, figures or colors used to represent abstract ideas *The Dead Soldier- Henry saw questions in front of him with the dead soldier. It made him question what is to come after death. What would have happened if he had not run? Would this man have lived? Would this have been him? Also, the sense of turning around and being afraid it could get up and move.
*The Flag- Seen many times as a symbol of pride in one's country (people, bravery)

themes: idea that recurs or pervades a work
*courage
*manhood
* self-preservation
*disregard for human life

Main Characters:
Henry Flemning- The Youth
Jim Conklin- Tall Soldier
Wilson- Fat Soldier
Tattered Soldier
Lieutenant
Henry's Mother- did not really want him to go at first. She knew what war could do.

RBC: Chapter Eight.

Henry is found walking through the forest listening to the individual sounds around him. That of nature is interrupted suddenly be the sounds of battle. This time instead of running from battle he runs as fast as he would make himself move towards this battle. He falls upon a column of wounded men from this battle and decides to join them. One man starts to talk to him as if starting up a friendship. Henry tries to veer away from him because the guilt seems to be consuming him. When the man asks him where he was wounded he turned and left in a sense of agitation due to his previous actions.

RBC: Chapter Seven.

His guilt continues to fill him. He had left his own men behind instead of standing by them and winning the victory. He could be celebrating with them right now, but instead now he has to think about what he is going to do next. He is afraid of what the others will say to him about running. He tried to make up reasons why he did it justifying that it truly was a good idea. That would not work though. He reached a chapel where he noticed a dead man. This was symbolic for what had just happened. It seemed to mean that Henry could see this dead body and wonder what if he would have stayed. Could this man have lived if he did? If he had stayed could this have been him? He did not know and neither do we. (The fear that a voice would come from it and that it may get up and move if he turned and walked away also came to his mind). This startling site seemed to give a message.

RBC: Chapter Six.

The soldiers are all coming down from such a high adrenaline rush full of joy and great victory. They had pushed the enemy back, but it was not for long. In the midst of coming down from that another set of the enemies men were coming back. They did not know how to react. Henry had a million thoughts going through his head. He thought it must be a mistake and that there was no way they could beat them again. With all the fear rushing through his head along with thinking they would all die he saw two men run. He could hold up no longer he too turned and ran. He had convinced himself that the men were all going to run with him. Only the foolish would stay behind there was no way they could win, right? As he was running he came across other regiments and he said it seemed like they had no idea about the battle that was going on. They just kept shooting off in their own business. He came across one general and he was sending his men off. Henry desired to tell him that he was sending them to their death, but then found he was wrong. His fellow men that had stayed to fight had held them off. They had won and he ran. Guilt spread through him and his decisions were now the decisions of a coward.

Chapters Questions.

Why is his dad not mentioned very often/what happened to him? (Ch. 1)
Why is he changing words by saying the government was at fault for him being in the army now? (Ch. 2)
What does the Question mean? (Ch. 3)
Why did the lieutenant react the way he did? (Ch. 4)
What is red rage? (Ch. 5)
What is going on with the lieutenant? (Ch. 6)
Nature’s comparatives to his life- meaning/s? / Why did he come across this dead man/ how did he die exactly/ Question/ why was he here? (Ch. 7)
Why does Henry perceive nature as stopping in its usual ways when battle comes? (Ch. 8)
What exactly happened to Jim? (Ch. 9)
Was it a disease that made Jim and the tattered soldier act dumb and animal like? (Ch. 10)
Why did they not just get their clothing dirty during that one battle to show that they were not new to the other veteran regiments if you show courage through the blood? Also, the clothing doesn't seem important to keep clean anymore, why? (Ch. 11)
Still want that badge of courage? (Ch. 12)
Did he feel more guilty now that he had lied and his people had still treated him with the utmost respect and hospitality? (Ch. 13)
Will Henry change like Wilson? / The other men that are coming back were seen the same as Henry "having been drawn away from regiment", but was it actually they had run too just like Henry? (Ch. 14).
Why was he going to keep Wilson's letter? (Ch. 15).
Henry keeps saying how tired he is of battles with no purposes, but is it really just an excuse to not look like a coward? (Ch. 16).
Has he actually overcome his issues or is he still just an egotistical man? (Ch. 17).
Why was the youth's regiment thought so low of that they would be chosen to be spared? (Ch. 18).
When they came across the enemy who's faces looked as if they weren't supposed to be there why did the enemy act so different? (Ch. 19).
What exactly was going on with the standing of the flag and then how did that go to transferring into battle? (Ch. 20).
Was the lieutenant siding with the mockers or was he with the regiment during their battle and angry with what these men had to say? / Also, one man commented on how Henry was not that great of a fighter because the others had not known him from the beginning. Does this mean someone knows that he ran? (Ch. 21).
What is going on with the battle situation? Did they fight one of the ones already going on or start a separate one? (Ch. 22).
Henry is blue, correct? I think it is weird how the story still has not mentioned what this war is over even if we do know. It has nothing of what the men thought of why they were there fighting at all... why? (Ch. 23).
Where are they heading back to? (Ch. 24).

RBC: Chapter Five.

After some waiting battle came. They became readied and awaited whatever fate had in store. All of a sudden Henry could not remember if he had loaded his gun. It was all in the anxiety of if everything was truly ready for the battle. he did not want to forget anything vital for survival and victory. He did not want to have to run no matter how much he desired to. In this case, however, Henry did not run. He kicked it into war mode. He was ready for this battle.

"He got the one glance at the foe-swarming field in front of him, and instantly ceased to debate the question of his piece being loaded. Before he was ready to begin--before he had announced to himself that he was about to fight--he threw the obedient well-balanced rifle into position and fired a first wild shot. Directly he was working at his weapon like an automatic affair. He suddenly lost concern for himself, and forgot to look at a menacing fate. He became not a man but a member. He felt that something of which he was a part--a regiment, an army, a cause, or a country--was in crisis. He was welded into a common personality which was dominated by a single desire. For some moments he could not flee no more than a little finger can commit a revolution from a hand" (19). Henry finally grasped what it was to be part of the army. He found that he could be the man he had always dreamt. It was like he wasn't even thinking of trying to do this it was instinct. He saw victory in his future and wanted it. The men next to him in the battles helped him to become this. Confidence was greater when they were with him. With his rage and determintaion set in war was just a small obstacle. They began to chant brabaric chant songs in this too. It was also like they wuold load the gun put up to shoulder and fire. There was no aim in it. One happening during the batttle was when the lieutenant beat up one soldier who attemptede to leave the fron of the line. He would have none of that. Also, the captain was killed in the midst of their fighting. Soon they foudn their enemy retreating. They had won their battle and couldn't be happier. As Henry came out of war mode the air around him seemed to be caving in like he was suffocating. He drank his water and began to tkae in all that had happened. It set in that glorifying feeling he had yearned for for so long. They began to celebrate their victory and Henry began to see things clearly. He looked around at the nature of the place in which they stand and cannot believe that in the midst of such great fighting nature still manages to keep it's calmness.

RBC: Chapter Four.

Henry and other stay back preparing to fight. They observe the others on the field (304th and veterans). The enemies come and they begin their fighting. They have been waiting for this. Battle comes quickly and shots are inevitable. Everything at once hit and many had to run and duck from bullets. The lieutenant was shot in the hand in the midst of this. They bind his hand and back into the battle he goes as if nothing can stop him. Or that if he tried to stop he would be killed anyway so that would be foolish. The men ran out from smoke as bullets were firing and the rest watched in great horror. It was as if they were down there dying and nothing could be done about it. The faces of the men brought it worse. Henry was thinking about how not even a higher power could have made him stay if he could have grasped his brain around the concept of making his legs move. It was almost as if the only thing that mattered in these battles was that he could run away fast enough.

RBC: Chapter Three.

Out there awaiting the battles to come Henry becomes very much observant of all things around him. As if he is afraid they will be attacked at any time. The men begin to get irritable since they have not been to battle even once yet they have traveled all this way. All they have to show for it is sore feet and little food to eat each day. They have seen no action and some have gone back into the mindset that they will not see any. When veterans come and see them they almost laugh. Their uniforms even show that they have not been to battle yet due to their untouched condition. All of a sudden in the minds t of sleep one of these nights Henry finds himself being yanked up and forced to move. He is surrounded by the fellow soldiers and has no way to run. The men are moving and if he doesn't he will fall and men will step all over him on their way. He begins to think that he never wanted to join the army at all and that it was all the government's fault. Now he has to await his death because of it.They walk into what is finally a battle. Although they are observing it and not fighting as of yet they finally are getting what they have been asking for. Everything was thrown at Henry at once. He was in a daze. He came across a dead man and the reality of war appeared to finally hit him. He was in the midst of seeing this all yet his thoughts were rolling unstoppable. Walking through this actually battle he found that too many things seemed to not make sense. It was as if they were walking into a trap. Henry wanted to tell them of this, but did not want them to laugh at his warning. He began to lag looking up at the sky as if it would bring hope when a lieutenant stopped him. He put him back into pace and Henry hated him for it. He thought it was as if they were just walking in as bait and it bothered him. The regiment stopped to build barricades/trenches for safety, but some thought it better to just stand and await oncoming missiles. It made them more "brave". Some other soldiers pointed to the veterans who were digging "like dogs" and proved them to be full of stupidity. They left one place and set off for another where there too they did the same action of building trenches each time. Henry had no patience. He wanted to go back to camp and saw no point in staying in this place doing nothing, but getting their hopes up. Tensions grew as they waited between the men. They had a desire to fight and when they were not some thought it a waste of time to be there. Henry came upon the idea that the afterlife was the only thing that would comprehend him. He thought that finding a way to be killed would be better than being alive. While waiting he did a lot of observing what was going on in the battle. The loud soldier interrupted him saying that he believed that the battle they were to soon fight would be his first and last. Something just told him that that was how it would end for him. He asked Henry to take an envelope of his and give it to his parents for him. He did this and walked away. Henry was left questioning why.

RBC: Chapter Two.

The rumor of war to come the next day was a lie. The anticipation of its' coming was killing Henry. He found that there was no way to get rid of his fear of the unknown unless battle came and he was in it. The tall soldier was always by his side for assurance. Seeing his confidence made Henry think it would not be that bad. He looked for others who were afraid like him, but found none. This made him feel low that he could not even fought for his country. The emotions and anxiety always find their way back to him to build his fear. He hated how the others seemed to be unaffected by war. They were completely calm and he was over here shaking in his boots with terror. A colonel came with his men from off in the distance. Harsh words came from the conversation he left. It was a little confusing what the conversation was even about since he left saying to not forget the cigars. Henry could not comprehend. Next we find that the ones in the camp set off on a march. They talk of plans of victory in the battle they will fight. They are to attack from behind. On their journey one fat soldier decides to mess with one girls horse. He attempts to take it, but she shows him she has a different idea. He does not retreat with the horse. Many of his comrades mocked him for this little escapade. Again as battle begins to come closer that fear resides even heavier than before. Henry starts feeling sorry for himself and wants to go back to his home. We are also introduced to a soldier named Wilson in this time. Henry asks him too if he thinks he will run. Wilson does not think so because he will do his job just like he should. He did say that each regime has those men who when the time comes they run unaware of how great an impact it would actually make. Henry starts to think that they may be thinking big now, but believes others will run too. This way he won't feel like such a coward. Nearing the end of the chapter we see that Henry is still pondering on his fear vs. the lack of fear in others. He is almost driving himself crazy over these thoughts and thinks himself to sleep over the stress of it.