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From: ebintrim
Date sent: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 18:08:32 -0800
Subject: Red Badge Of Courage
I just wanted to comment on Crane's use of language. I love his diction. The word "purled" is a perfect example. He manages to create beautiful images while avoiding the trite. I really think that his language is the true strength of this novel.
From: "Bearclan"
Subject: Red Badge of Courage
Date sent: Sat, 23 Nov 1996 15:49:08 -0700
I am in agreement with this first comment about the use of language. I'm not sure what I expected, however these wonderfully descriptive phrases are a joy to read.
Sometimes it feels as if all of us face these kind of internal battles everytime we hit a crisis time in our lives, and maybe we all need to look inside our own hearts more often, getting to know ourselves better before we need to make dicisions that are more gladly avoided than faced.
Date sent: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 20:03:32 -0800
From: marilyn
Subject: Red Badge of Courage
I was captivated tonight by Crane's colorful description of the impending dawn. He is a master at painting a picture with words.
Marilyn Del Mar, CA
From: ebintrim
Date sent: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 22:06:54 -0800
Subject: Red Badge of Courage
I can't help but connect the lead character in Red Badge with the lead character in Catcher in the Rye. They both seem to have the same intellectualism, the same doubts about manhood and the same coming of age.
I also am intrigued by the element of guilt in this novel, especially guilt about imagined sins of cowardness and failure.
From: Aaron Ezis
Subject: Re: Red Badge of Courage
Date sent: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 20:52:32
I can clearly see the connection to Holden Caufield for the reasons you mentioned.
What do you mean by imagined sins? If you mean the Youth is mearly speculating on his cowardness and possible faliure then I see your point. Otherwise the sins of his cowardice are quite real, that is until the are tested he is feeling cowardly, and has every reason to believe he may not only fail by die running away as a coward. These are the youths very real emotions at the time.
Regards, Aaron Ezis
From: ebintrim
Date sent: Sun, 01 Dec 1996 20:59:47 -0800
Subject: Red Badge of Courage
By imagined sins, I mean that the men view the feeling of fear as a sin. They are ashamed and feel guilty for emotions beyond their control. Fearing death is one thing; fleeing from battle is another.
From: BIXRUN
Date sent: Mon, 9 Dec 1996 21:25:57 -0500
Subject: youth and innocence
I think the novel is about youth and innocence and coming of age. Henry goes from being a naive young soldier filled with fear that he cannot control to being a leader of men. This change comes about from his contact with death as well as his deflated sense of reverence for authority which comes as a result of realizing he and his men are merely mules.
I am teaching this novel to a group of sophomores and would love some ideas on engaging activities for the students and discussion questions. I think I'll approach as the novel in a poetic form and let the students find their way through.
I welcome suggestions to promote interaction and higher-level learning. Thanks
From: Karen
Subject:
Date sent: Thu, 12 Dec 1996 21:23:59 -0600
Sorry to join this discussion so late. I've had finals and prelims... and I'm hopelessly behind, so I haven't read as much as most of you.
Hamlet said "There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so." I think this applies here. The boy Henry is creating a self-fulfilling prophesy. He sees cowardice everywhere, fears cowardice. In the end, I think he finds both cowardice and bravery in himself -- not qualities which either exist or don't exist, but qualities which he must choose and make for himself.
As far as teaching goes, English is NOT my area of expertise, but the best English teacher I ever had used to make us write short comment sheets, with our own ideas about the books we were reading. In Shakespeare class, he used to grade us from 1 to 4, doling out 4's very rarely, accompanied by a button with a picture of Wm Shakespeare and the words "Will Power." We worked like fiends for those buttons. He also used to encourage us to do related activities, especially seeing plays, or bringing in articles, or anything that would involve us outside of class. You might even try to find the Red Badge of Courage episode of Wishbone (I am a closet Wishbone fan), and have the students discuss how well the show portrays the book, and how the parallel story relates to the book. Good luck!
Karen L.
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