The Red Badge of Courage Group

Question:

wufsdenmjw
wufsdenmjw
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What and where is Henry's epiphany or turning point in the book?

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Posted by wufsdenmjw on Monday September 14, 2009 at 12:10 PM and tagged with characters, epiphany, henry, turning point.

Answers:

  1. flamintomato
    flamintomato Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    I would say it's near the very end of the book when Henry decides to stop running from his fears and stand his ground and attack when the enemy comes upon them. BTW are you in an american literature class tought by Christy Davis?

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    Posted by flamintomato on Tuesday September 15, 2009 at 5:13 PM


  2. kc4u Teacher
    College - Senior

    eNotes Editor

    Once again, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment or event that grounds Henry's epiphany. The novel takes it up bit by bit and shows his transformation as a gradual process. There is no abrupt and unaccounted for change in the novel. There can be many such junctures. let me mention some.

    1. When Henry loses his favourite myth of the great war hero in the form of a soldier, he realizes that it is a dirty fight and he has to fight just in order not to die a horrendous death at the hands of the enemies.

    2. When he gets his red badge, he introspects in shame. It is this moral guilt also that helps him pick himself up and fight for the real red badge of courage.

    3. His leaving off the injured tattered man leads to yet another guilt complex that shapes his change.

    4. Henry's tryst with a sombre and barren nature when he escapes is a learning experience for him, almost of a Darwinian nature. He realizes that he can only survive he is the fittest.

    5. The sighting of the corpse in the woods is like the final stage of fear-psychosis for Henry and after that he goes beyond it. He leaves his fear with the corpse. It is the birth of a new Henry as he faces his destiny in it and adopts a stoically heroic stance.

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    Posted by kc4u on Tuesday December 1, 2009 at 1:09 PM