The following question references the novel The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.
At what point does Henry come to terms with this Man vs. Self conflict?
In "The Red Badge of Courage," Henry Fleming, a young soldier in the Civil War, struggles with his fear of battle and his shame about fleeing from his first engagement. The internal conflict that Henry faces is his struggle between his romantic notions of war and heroism versus the reality of fear, cowardice, and his instinct for self-preservation.
Henry comes to terms with his internal conflict gradually throughout the novel, as he experiences various trials and observations that challenge his perception of courage and himself. His turning point begins after he flees the battlefield and wrestles with guilt and shame. He longs for a wound—a "red badge of courage"—to prove his mettle to himself and his comrades.
One of the critical moments in this journey occurs when Henry, having joined another regiment, is taken under the wing of a kind soldier, known as the "tattered soldier." This interaction, along with observing a friend, Jim Conklin (the "tall soldier"), die stoically from his injuries, forces Henry to grapple with his feelings of shame and guilt more deeply.
Henry's transformation and acceptance of his internal conflict culminates in later battles where he becomes an unexpected leader and fights with great bravery—not because he has shed his fear entirely, but because he has learned to integrate his fear with his sense of duty and newfound understanding of courage. Courage for Henry becomes not a lack of fear but an ability to act in spite of it.
By the end of the novel, Henry has come to accept his fear and learns from his previous acts of cowardice. He is no longer the naive youth who joined the war full of romantic notions; instead, he has developed a more nuanced understanding of what it means to be courageous. While he is not without regret for his earlier actions, he has found a measure of peace with himself and has matured through his trials.