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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 7 page paper discusses the use of symbolism in two war novels: "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane; and "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Page Count:
7 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_HVSymWar.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
the use of symbolism in two novels, both of which are about the American Civil War: The red badge of courage by Stephen Crane; and The killer angels, by Michael
Shaara. The red badge of courage The red badge of courage was published in 1895 and has never been out of print since (Critical reception: early reviews). It is
a striking departure from the way in which most war novels were written at the time; they usually "emphasized large-scale concerns (troop movements, tactical maneuvers, wins and losses), neglecting the
much more limited but in many ways more intense experience of the anonymous foot soldier" (Critical reception: early reviews). By having an ordinary foot soldier, Private Henry Fleming, narrate the
novel, Crane is able to bring home the real horror of war (Critical reception: early reviews). The viewpoint he employs is not that of a well-protected general miles away from
the battlefield, but of a man whose life is in danger every moment, who sees his friends die around him, and whose actions, if not always admirable, are completely understandable.
The novel, more so than Shaaras work, makes great use of symbolism. We can start with the title itself, since the "red badge" is not really a decoration, but the
blood that is shed on the battlefield. The novel opens when the rumor runs through a Union camp that the army is finally going to move, and engage the enemy.
Most of the soldiers are overjoyed; theyve been sitting around for what seems like forever, waiting for something to happen (Crane). The effect on one young man is striking: "So
they were at last going to fight. On the morrow, perhaps, there would be a battle, and he would be in it. ... He had, of course, dreamed of battles
...