Overview

The Red Badge of Courage consists of twenty-four chapters which follow the protagonist, young Henry Fleming, through his experience as a Union Army private during the American Civil War. The book can be organized into three parts: Part One, consisting of Chapters I through VI, concerns Henry's state of mind before his first battle, and his initial war experiences, when he flees from battle; Part Two, consisting of Chapters VII through XIII, explores Henry's experiences away from his regiment; and Part Three, consisting of Chapters XIV through XXIV, focuses on Henry recovering his courage and returning to his regiment, his subsequent heroism, and his final sense of achieving manhood.

Part One

Chapters I through VI
Though published in 1895, The Red Badge of Courage takes place sometime during the American Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865. The initial setting is the campsite of a regiment of the Union...