Boys to the Men in the Red Badge of Courage The Civil War took more American lives than any other war in history. It divided the people of the United States, so much so that in many families brother fought brother. The four years of bloodshed left a legacy of pain and bitterness that partly remains today. The war began on April 12, 1861, in Charleston, South Carolina. It ended four years later, on April 9, 1865. Many people call this tragic conflict the War Between the States, the War of the Rebellion, the Civil War, or the for Southern Independence. But regardless of what it is called, the war was a major turning point in American history. What's so interesting about Crane's red badge of courage? I learned about war turning boys into mature men, the real dialect and slang used during war, and what it was like to be a soldier in the Civil War. The entire novel covers only two days in the life of Henry Flemming, the main character. In that time, war can turn a boy into a man. It does not physically transform an individual into an adult man, but matures him mentally. War causes boys to mature into men by experiencing new and unpredictable environments and adapting to unfamiliar smells, sounds, and emotions. Think about it, being there on a battlefield witnessing the death of friends and comrades should have an effect on a human being. Being in a war and being around new faces, new personalities, confusion and trauma would force you to adapt to an environment faster than you normally would. Imagine leaving your country home and entering a new and frightening world on a battlefield. What can make a person a hero or a coward? Fears, emotions, thoughts and feelings can be the factors that contribute to the struggle. As I read this novel I experienced not only Henry's actions, but also his individual thoughts and feelings. There was shooting here and there was shooting there, and there was screaming here and there was screaming there, in the damned darkness, until I couldn't tell 'save my soul' which side I was on (p.136, Crane). Using soldiers speaking in a dialect common during the war and using slang to represent certain words reflected the authors' emphasis on realism and descriptiveness.