This essay examines the impressionism exhibited by Stephen Crane in the novel The Red Badge of Courage.

Impressionism in the Red Badge of Courage The use of impressionism works remarkably well to paint a vivid depiction of war, which is not all fame and honor, as many believe it to be. In The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane focuses in on a soldier named Henry in the Civil War by describing many aspects of his life with Impressionistic ways. The youthfulness of Henry's struggle through the beginning of the war is …

…the Impressionism is used to record the emotions and feelings of experiences of Henry. Through Henry's experiences, he is subjected to his own understanding of war. As Henry is involved with the war, he tries to make sense of the complexities of war. Through the Impressionism depicted in the heroic aspects of war, the difficulties and decisions are some of the most important details as a war can sometimes be a life or death situation.