Wednesday, July 26, 2006
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane-Chapter Questions
STUDY GUIDE QUESTION
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (student copy)
Chapter 1
1. What was the first conversation about?
2. Why did Henry want to enlist in the army?
3. Why did his mother try to discourage him from enlisting?
4. What was his mother’s reply to Henry’s enlisting in the army?
5. Why did she reply like that?
6. What did Henry’s mother pack for him? (four items)
7. What advice did she give him before he left the farm?
8. How did Henry respond to his mother when he left her?
9. What was the last remembrance Henry had of his mother as he left the farm?
10. What does Henry try to prove to himself?
11. What did Henry know about himself concerning war and battle?
12. Why is there so much talk about running from the battle?
13. What were Jim Conklin’s thoughts about running from the battle?
Chapter 2
1. How is Henry going to prove himself?
2. How did Henry measure himself?
3. Why did Henry feel that the Generals were intolerably slow?
4. What did the fat soldier attempt to steel and what was the outcome of the attempt?
5. Whom did everyone support in the altercation? Who won?
6. Why do you think Henry wished he were at home again?
7. What was the terrific personal problem that Henry was wrestling with?
8. Why did he feel so alone calling himself a “mental outcast”?
Chapter 3
1. What did the youth feel after this crossing?
2. Why at one point did the men begin to shed their knapsacks?
3. What did the men continue to carry?
4. What did veteran regiments look like?
5. During one gray dawn, why do the men find themselves running down a wood road?
6. Why did Henry feel as if he were in a moving box?
7. Why does Henry think about running away again?
8. What are some of the excuses Henry gives for not being in the army?
9. Henry had a sudden impulse of curiosity to see what?
10. Describe the battle scene.
11. Describe the dead body the line encountered.
12. Why does Henry think he must break from the ranks?
13. What did the youth see on the men nearest him?
14. Why did the men build tiny hills in front of them when they stopped?
15. After they built the tiny hills what happened?
16. The youth feels that they have to do something on page 24. What are the two choices?
17. Why did the soldiers think it would be better to die directly?
18. What did the loud soldier give Henry and why?
Chapter 4
1. The lieutenant was shot. What part of his body was wounded?
2. What did he do with his wound?
3. Who were the officers striking and hitting and why?
4. What was the one little thought the youth had at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 5
1. The youth sees the enemy and what thought comes into his mind?
2. The youth’s first shot was considered what? How was it described?
3. What were the effects of the war atmosphere that the youth begins to feel?
4. What happened to the soldier who attempted to flee?
5. As the smoke cleared the youth noticed what about the enemy?
6. Where did the wounded men go?
Chapter 6
1. What was the supreme trial that Henry had passed?
2. In the midst of this self-satisfaction what cries broke on along the ranks?
3. Why does Henry run on Page 39?
4. How can Henry’s fears be described?
5. What was Henry racing to stay ahead of?
6. Why couldn’t he understand that a brigade would not go to give relief to the other soldiers?
7. Why does the youth finally slow down?
8. What news does the officer give the General at the end of the Chapter?
Chapter 7
1. How does the youth rationalize his actions on page 42-43?
2. Why does he pity himself?
3. Why does he go into the thick woods?
4. What signs did nature give him?
5. Describe Henry’s encounters with the dead man?
Chapter 8
1. Henry runs again but where does he run?
2. What is holding him back?
3. He comes across what as he climbs a fence?
4. Describe two of the wounded men he comes upon on page 48?
5. What does the tattered man talk to the youth about?
6. What important question does the tattered man ask that Henry avoids at all costs?
Chapter 9
1. Why was Henry envious of the wounded soldiers?
2. What did he wish he had?
3. Henry discovers what friend has been wounded?
4. What is his friend afraid of?
5. What favor does Henry’s friend ask of Henry?
6. Why is Henry’s friend running?
7. Where is Henry’s friend running?
8. Describe the tall man’s death?
Chapter 10
1. What does the tattered man call the tall man?
2. The tattered man starts asking Henry the same question…What is it?
3. What name does the tattered man give Henry?
4. What does Henry wish for himself at the end of this chapter and why?
Chapter 11
1. What sight did the youth find comfort in?
2. Who was the youth looking at when his woes returned to him?
3. What happened to Henry’s rifle?
4. What did Henry feel in his imagination and why?
5. What does Henry think will be impossible for him to become?
6. Why would defeat for the army be a favorable thing for Henry?
7. Why is Henry looking for moral vindication?
8. Why did Henry envy a corpse?
9. Why is Henry trying t think up a scheme?
Chapter 12
1. Who is charging down upon Henry at the beginning of Chapter 12
2. Why did Henry get hit in the head with a rifle?
3. Describe Henry after he was hit?
4. How was Henry hurt? What were the visible signs?
5. What person helped Henry at this point?
6. What regiment does this man take Henry?
Chapter 13
1. Who is the first person who recognizes Henry?
2. What does Henry say happened to his head?
3. After the corporal looks at Henry’s heard what does he determine happened?
4. How is Henry going to feel in the morning?
5. What did Henry have bound on his head?
6. Whose blanket did Henry sleep on?
Chapter 14
1. What was the remarkable change Henry noticed in his comrade?
2. After how many men did the regiment lose “yesterday”?
Chapter 15
1. What is the little packet wrapped with a faded yellow envelope?
2. What did Henry’s friend speak of in a weak moment?
3. Why is Henry’s self-pride restored?
4. Compare Henry’s past feelings with his present feelings?
5. Why did Henry feel he was chosen by the gods?
6. Why could Henry leave must to chance?
7. Henry thinks of returning home. What does he see himself doing?
8.
Chapter 16
1. What was the youth’s regiment marching to do?
2. Who does Henry have better words for?
3. What words finally quiet Henry down?
4. How does henry finally learn to become a modest person?
5. What is Henry grumbling about on Page 89?
6. What does the lieutenant say to quiet the men?
Chapter 17
1. How does Henry feel now in comparison to “those other men”?
2. Who are the flies and what are they doing?
3. Where was henry’s first position?
4. Discuss how Henry fights the enemy.
5. Why does someone tell him to quit firing his rifle?
6. What does the lieutenant say to Henry?
7. How do the others look upon Henry?
Chapter 18
1. What did the youth and his friend obtain permission to go for?
2. What information did the boys overhear the General and the officer speaking about?
3. How did the officer describe the fighting of the 304th?
4. What was the prediction of the General concerning the 304th?
5. How did the youth feel about himself after hearing this conversation?
6. What information did the youth bring back to this lieutenant?
7. What was the only inner knowledge that Fleming and Wilson knew?
Chapter 19
1. When did Henry think the enemy was to be met?
2. Describe this fighting encounter of the armies?
3. What is the forward progression; regrouping and progressing again? Explain.
4. What area is the army trying to reach?
5. What happened to the person carrying the flag?
Chapter 20
1. When the two youths turned with the flap what did they see?
2. Who ends up carrying the flag?
3. How did he get it?
4. Explain the sentence, “It was difficult to think of reputation when others were thinking of skins.” How does this relate to this chapter?
5. What forces the men t fight again n pages 107-108?
6. Why are the men feeling a sense of pride at the end of this Chapter?
Chapter 21
1. What were the strange emotions that the men began to show?
2. Who gives this regiment sarcastic comments and why?
3. After the battle, what was the youth astonished by?
4. What words does the officer have for MacChesnay about the fight?
5. Why does Henry’s friend say, “There’s no fun in fightin’ fer people…”?
6. What does the lieutenant call Henry and why does he call him that name?
7. What do Wilson and Fleming deserve according to the General?
Chapter 22
1. Why did the men fire their rifles without any orders to fire?
2. Describe the sergeant’s wound through his cheeks. Do you think it was fatal and why?
Chapter 23
1. The colonel tells the men they must do what at this time?
2. What was their hope?
3. Where did the youth keep the flag?
4. What does the youth want on page 121?
5. As the gray flag bearer was dying, what did he hang on to?
6. How many prisoners did the army take at this battle?
7. Describe what each prisoner is doing?
Chapter 24
1. What did some men do with the enemy flag?
2. What sentence does the youth say to himself again?
3. What ghost appeared to dance in front of Henry?
4. What helped Henry to accept the fact that he did run at one point in the battles he encountered?
5. What does Henry learn about himself from this experience?
6. How does Henry’s soul change?
7. What does Henry thirst for?
VOCABULARY WORDS
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE
Look up the word in your dictionary or use context clues from the sentence to define the word. Write the sentence from the book in which you locate the word.
Chapter 1: twoscore, lucid, omen, effaced
Chapter 2: prolongation, fathom, unscrupulous, flouted, orbs, vindication, vociferous
Chapter 3: perambulating, skulking, viands
Chapter 4: facetious
Chapter 5: respite, pommeling, undaunted
Chapter 6: affably, hillock
Chapter 7: sagacious
Chapter 8: eloquent, sardonic
Chapter 9: spectral, reiterated, philippic
Chapter 10: docile
Chapter 11: pathos, contrivance
Chapter 12: altercation, remonstrance
Chapter 13: visages
Chapter 14: gaunt, prowess
Chapter 15: derision, reverie
Chapter 16: fracas, temerity
Chapter 17: delirious
Chapter 18: lamentation, gesticulating
Chapter 19: accouterments, imprecations, berating
Chapter 20: melee
Chapter 22: prodigious, emaciated, celerity
Chapter 23: ominous, paroxysm, pestilent
Chapter 24: cudgeled
CHARACTER SKETCH
Write a three to five sentence character description for each character listed below.
1 .Henry Fleming
2 .Wilson
3. Jim Conklin
4. The tattered soldier
5. The young lieutenant
6 .Henry’s mother
EXTRA CREDIT PROJECTS
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE
1. Locate a print or copy of a Civil War photograph of actual soldiers. Study one man’s facial expression, stance, clothing, etc., then imagine an episode in his life. Write an essay about him and his war experiences.
2. Crane’s writing was generally based on his past experience. Write about an event in your own life in a similar way, examining your motives, behavior, and attitudes.
3. Paint an impressionistic scene from THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE, or make a collage portraying Henry’s emotions as he fled from battle.
4. Study samples of Crane’s poetry, then write a poem about war. Try to follow his symbolistic, imagistic style. Also, turn in the samples of Crane’s poetry that you studied.
5. With which character do you identify most closely: Henry, Jim Conklin, Wilson, Henry’s mother, Lt. Hasbrouck, or the tattered man? Compare their actions to what yours might be in similar circumstances.
6. What an essay about a time in your life when you felt, like Henry, that you did not control your life or that you were searching for yourself. Did you behave similarly to Henry?
7. Crane said he learned about combat from playing football. Explain what he might have learned, or what experiences might apply to both situations?
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (student copy)
Chapter 1
1. What was the first conversation about?
2. Why did Henry want to enlist in the army?
3. Why did his mother try to discourage him from enlisting?
4. What was his mother’s reply to Henry’s enlisting in the army?
5. Why did she reply like that?
6. What did Henry’s mother pack for him? (four items)
7. What advice did she give him before he left the farm?
8. How did Henry respond to his mother when he left her?
9. What was the last remembrance Henry had of his mother as he left the farm?
10. What does Henry try to prove to himself?
11. What did Henry know about himself concerning war and battle?
12. Why is there so much talk about running from the battle?
13. What were Jim Conklin’s thoughts about running from the battle?
Chapter 2
1. How is Henry going to prove himself?
2. How did Henry measure himself?
3. Why did Henry feel that the Generals were intolerably slow?
4. What did the fat soldier attempt to steel and what was the outcome of the attempt?
5. Whom did everyone support in the altercation? Who won?
6. Why do you think Henry wished he were at home again?
7. What was the terrific personal problem that Henry was wrestling with?
8. Why did he feel so alone calling himself a “mental outcast”?
Chapter 3
1. What did the youth feel after this crossing?
2. Why at one point did the men begin to shed their knapsacks?
3. What did the men continue to carry?
4. What did veteran regiments look like?
5. During one gray dawn, why do the men find themselves running down a wood road?
6. Why did Henry feel as if he were in a moving box?
7. Why does Henry think about running away again?
8. What are some of the excuses Henry gives for not being in the army?
9. Henry had a sudden impulse of curiosity to see what?
10. Describe the battle scene.
11. Describe the dead body the line encountered.
12. Why does Henry think he must break from the ranks?
13. What did the youth see on the men nearest him?
14. Why did the men build tiny hills in front of them when they stopped?
15. After they built the tiny hills what happened?
16. The youth feels that they have to do something on page 24. What are the two choices?
17. Why did the soldiers think it would be better to die directly?
18. What did the loud soldier give Henry and why?
Chapter 4
1. The lieutenant was shot. What part of his body was wounded?
2. What did he do with his wound?
3. Who were the officers striking and hitting and why?
4. What was the one little thought the youth had at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 5
1. The youth sees the enemy and what thought comes into his mind?
2. The youth’s first shot was considered what? How was it described?
3. What were the effects of the war atmosphere that the youth begins to feel?
4. What happened to the soldier who attempted to flee?
5. As the smoke cleared the youth noticed what about the enemy?
6. Where did the wounded men go?
Chapter 6
1. What was the supreme trial that Henry had passed?
2. In the midst of this self-satisfaction what cries broke on along the ranks?
3. Why does Henry run on Page 39?
4. How can Henry’s fears be described?
5. What was Henry racing to stay ahead of?
6. Why couldn’t he understand that a brigade would not go to give relief to the other soldiers?
7. Why does the youth finally slow down?
8. What news does the officer give the General at the end of the Chapter?
Chapter 7
1. How does the youth rationalize his actions on page 42-43?
2. Why does he pity himself?
3. Why does he go into the thick woods?
4. What signs did nature give him?
5. Describe Henry’s encounters with the dead man?
Chapter 8
1. Henry runs again but where does he run?
2. What is holding him back?
3. He comes across what as he climbs a fence?
4. Describe two of the wounded men he comes upon on page 48?
5. What does the tattered man talk to the youth about?
6. What important question does the tattered man ask that Henry avoids at all costs?
Chapter 9
1. Why was Henry envious of the wounded soldiers?
2. What did he wish he had?
3. Henry discovers what friend has been wounded?
4. What is his friend afraid of?
5. What favor does Henry’s friend ask of Henry?
6. Why is Henry’s friend running?
7. Where is Henry’s friend running?
8. Describe the tall man’s death?
Chapter 10
1. What does the tattered man call the tall man?
2. The tattered man starts asking Henry the same question…What is it?
3. What name does the tattered man give Henry?
4. What does Henry wish for himself at the end of this chapter and why?
Chapter 11
1. What sight did the youth find comfort in?
2. Who was the youth looking at when his woes returned to him?
3. What happened to Henry’s rifle?
4. What did Henry feel in his imagination and why?
5. What does Henry think will be impossible for him to become?
6. Why would defeat for the army be a favorable thing for Henry?
7. Why is Henry looking for moral vindication?
8. Why did Henry envy a corpse?
9. Why is Henry trying t think up a scheme?
Chapter 12
1. Who is charging down upon Henry at the beginning of Chapter 12
2. Why did Henry get hit in the head with a rifle?
3. Describe Henry after he was hit?
4. How was Henry hurt? What were the visible signs?
5. What person helped Henry at this point?
6. What regiment does this man take Henry?
Chapter 13
1. Who is the first person who recognizes Henry?
2. What does Henry say happened to his head?
3. After the corporal looks at Henry’s heard what does he determine happened?
4. How is Henry going to feel in the morning?
5. What did Henry have bound on his head?
6. Whose blanket did Henry sleep on?
Chapter 14
1. What was the remarkable change Henry noticed in his comrade?
2. After how many men did the regiment lose “yesterday”?
Chapter 15
1. What is the little packet wrapped with a faded yellow envelope?
2. What did Henry’s friend speak of in a weak moment?
3. Why is Henry’s self-pride restored?
4. Compare Henry’s past feelings with his present feelings?
5. Why did Henry feel he was chosen by the gods?
6. Why could Henry leave must to chance?
7. Henry thinks of returning home. What does he see himself doing?
8.
Chapter 16
1. What was the youth’s regiment marching to do?
2. Who does Henry have better words for?
3. What words finally quiet Henry down?
4. How does henry finally learn to become a modest person?
5. What is Henry grumbling about on Page 89?
6. What does the lieutenant say to quiet the men?
Chapter 17
1. How does Henry feel now in comparison to “those other men”?
2. Who are the flies and what are they doing?
3. Where was henry’s first position?
4. Discuss how Henry fights the enemy.
5. Why does someone tell him to quit firing his rifle?
6. What does the lieutenant say to Henry?
7. How do the others look upon Henry?
Chapter 18
1. What did the youth and his friend obtain permission to go for?
2. What information did the boys overhear the General and the officer speaking about?
3. How did the officer describe the fighting of the 304th?
4. What was the prediction of the General concerning the 304th?
5. How did the youth feel about himself after hearing this conversation?
6. What information did the youth bring back to this lieutenant?
7. What was the only inner knowledge that Fleming and Wilson knew?
Chapter 19
1. When did Henry think the enemy was to be met?
2. Describe this fighting encounter of the armies?
3. What is the forward progression; regrouping and progressing again? Explain.
4. What area is the army trying to reach?
5. What happened to the person carrying the flag?
Chapter 20
1. When the two youths turned with the flap what did they see?
2. Who ends up carrying the flag?
3. How did he get it?
4. Explain the sentence, “It was difficult to think of reputation when others were thinking of skins.” How does this relate to this chapter?
5. What forces the men t fight again n pages 107-108?
6. Why are the men feeling a sense of pride at the end of this Chapter?
Chapter 21
1. What were the strange emotions that the men began to show?
2. Who gives this regiment sarcastic comments and why?
3. After the battle, what was the youth astonished by?
4. What words does the officer have for MacChesnay about the fight?
5. Why does Henry’s friend say, “There’s no fun in fightin’ fer people…”?
6. What does the lieutenant call Henry and why does he call him that name?
7. What do Wilson and Fleming deserve according to the General?
Chapter 22
1. Why did the men fire their rifles without any orders to fire?
2. Describe the sergeant’s wound through his cheeks. Do you think it was fatal and why?
Chapter 23
1. The colonel tells the men they must do what at this time?
2. What was their hope?
3. Where did the youth keep the flag?
4. What does the youth want on page 121?
5. As the gray flag bearer was dying, what did he hang on to?
6. How many prisoners did the army take at this battle?
7. Describe what each prisoner is doing?
Chapter 24
1. What did some men do with the enemy flag?
2. What sentence does the youth say to himself again?
3. What ghost appeared to dance in front of Henry?
4. What helped Henry to accept the fact that he did run at one point in the battles he encountered?
5. What does Henry learn about himself from this experience?
6. How does Henry’s soul change?
7. What does Henry thirst for?
VOCABULARY WORDS
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE
Look up the word in your dictionary or use context clues from the sentence to define the word. Write the sentence from the book in which you locate the word.
Chapter 1: twoscore, lucid, omen, effaced
Chapter 2: prolongation, fathom, unscrupulous, flouted, orbs, vindication, vociferous
Chapter 3: perambulating, skulking, viands
Chapter 4: facetious
Chapter 5: respite, pommeling, undaunted
Chapter 6: affably, hillock
Chapter 7: sagacious
Chapter 8: eloquent, sardonic
Chapter 9: spectral, reiterated, philippic
Chapter 10: docile
Chapter 11: pathos, contrivance
Chapter 12: altercation, remonstrance
Chapter 13: visages
Chapter 14: gaunt, prowess
Chapter 15: derision, reverie
Chapter 16: fracas, temerity
Chapter 17: delirious
Chapter 18: lamentation, gesticulating
Chapter 19: accouterments, imprecations, berating
Chapter 20: melee
Chapter 22: prodigious, emaciated, celerity
Chapter 23: ominous, paroxysm, pestilent
Chapter 24: cudgeled
CHARACTER SKETCH
Write a three to five sentence character description for each character listed below.
1 .Henry Fleming
2 .Wilson
3. Jim Conklin
4. The tattered soldier
5. The young lieutenant
6 .Henry’s mother
EXTRA CREDIT PROJECTS
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE
1. Locate a print or copy of a Civil War photograph of actual soldiers. Study one man’s facial expression, stance, clothing, etc., then imagine an episode in his life. Write an essay about him and his war experiences.
2. Crane’s writing was generally based on his past experience. Write about an event in your own life in a similar way, examining your motives, behavior, and attitudes.
3. Paint an impressionistic scene from THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE, or make a collage portraying Henry’s emotions as he fled from battle.
4. Study samples of Crane’s poetry, then write a poem about war. Try to follow his symbolistic, imagistic style. Also, turn in the samples of Crane’s poetry that you studied.
5. With which character do you identify most closely: Henry, Jim Conklin, Wilson, Henry’s mother, Lt. Hasbrouck, or the tattered man? Compare their actions to what yours might be in similar circumstances.
6. What an essay about a time in your life when you felt, like Henry, that you did not control your life or that you were searching for yourself. Did you behave similarly to Henry?
7. Crane said he learned about combat from playing football. Explain what he might have learned, or what experiences might apply to both situations?
# posted by Sister Pat / English @ 5:15 PM 
