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The Red Badge of Courage is a fiction that tells the story of a soldier named Henry Fleming during the American Civil War. Henry is one of the enlisted soldiers in the 304th New York Regiment

When Henry Flemming sets off to join the war, he perhaps does not have a clear picture of what lies before him, what his decision means. Like every other young man (across the divide of time and circumstance) he envisions his return as a hero - an achieved man.

But, does he pause to consider the hardship of the battlefield? Perhaps not! At some point he actually flees from the battle field, but his conscience torments him. A series of happenings push him back to track, and there he tries to prove his manhood and attempts to inflict a wound to himself which is referred to as the "red badge of courage." Eventually, he proves that he is really a capable soldier.

The landmark novel from Stephen Crane is known for its distinctive style, which includes realistic battle sequences as well as the repeated use of color imagery, and ironic tone.

The novel has been adapted several times for the screen. A 1951 film by the same name was directed by John Huston, starring Medal of Honor-winner Audie Murphy as Henry Fleming.[82] Written by Huston and Albert Band, the film suffered from a troubled production history, went over budget, and was cut down to only seventy minutes despite objections from the director. A made-for-television movie was released in 1974, starring Richard Thomas as Fleming, while the 2008 Czech film Tobruk was partly based on The Red Badge of Courage.
About the Author: Stephen Crane (November 1, 1871 - June 5, 1900) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism. He is recognized by modern critics as one of the most innovative writers of his generation.

The ninth surviving child of Protestant Methodist parents, Crane began writing at the age of four and had published several articles by the age of 16. Having little interest in university studies, he left college in 1891 to work as a reporter and writer. Crane's first novel was the 1893 Bowery tale Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, generally considered by critics to be the first work of American literary Naturalism. He won international acclaim in 1895 for his Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage, which he wrote without having any battle experience.

As a child, Stephen was often sickly and afflicted by constant colds. When the boy was almost two, his father wrote in his diary that his youngest son became "so sick that we are anxious about him."

In four years, Crane published five novels, two volumes of poetry, three short story collections, two books of war stories, and numerous works of short fiction and reporting. Today he is mainly remembered for The Red Badge of Courage, which is regarded as an American classic. The novel has been adapted several times for the screen, including John Huston's 1951 version.