In The Red Badge of Courage, a novel about a young soldier's first encounter with actual combat, Crane highlights the absence of free will in human actions. Chapter Four particularly brings out a recurring theme in Crane's work—the naturalistic view of nature's indifference. Naturalism is a literary approach that aims for impartial, scientific objectivity when depicting human beings. It embraces the theory of determinism and often leans towards pessimism, suggesting that individuals are driven by their instincts or desires, or by their social and economic circumstances. Essentially, humans lack the freedom to choose. This concept stems from the nineteenth-century emphasis on scientific thinking, evident in economic determinism (Karl Marx) and biological determinism (Charles Darwin). During Crane's time, Darwinism was a dominant social philosophy, stressing that, much like in the animal world, only the strongest survive.

Crane vividly portrays the raw and harsh aspects of human behavior and the testing of human endurance in situations of violence and conflict. Henry finds no solace in nature; instead, he is deceived into feeling safe in a hostile environment. As he moves further into the woods, away from the sounds of gunfire and battle, he discovers a picturesque spot where tree branches form a chapel-like area, with brown pine needles covering the ground. To his horror, he comes across a ghastly corpse with tiny ants crawling over its face, a shocking sight in an otherwise serene and tranquil scene. Henry cries out at the sight of the corpse, then stares at it intently before gathering the courage to flee. As he runs, he fears that the dead man is somehow pursuing him. Eventually, he stops to listen, wondering if the corpse is calling out to him. He perceives nature as an indifferent force, continuing its processes like "a woman with a deep aversion to tragedy."