The Red Badge of Courage Quotes

Find the perfect quote to float your boat. Shmoop breaks down key quotations from The Red Badge of Courage.

Courage Quotes

The youth of this tale felt gratitude for these words of his comrade. He had feared that all of the untried men possessed great and correct confidence. He now was in a measure reassured (1.73).

Warfare Quotes

Previously he had never felt obliged to wrestle too seriously with this question. In his life he had taken certain things for granted, never challenging his belief in ultimate success, and botherin...

Men and Masculinity Quotes

He had, of course, dreamed of battles all his life – of vague and bloody conflicts that had thrilled him with their sweep and fire. […] But […] he had regarded battles as crimson...

Transformation Quotes

From his home he had gone to the seminary to bid adieu to many schoolmates. They had thronged about him with wonder and admiration. He had felt the gulf now between them and had swelled with calm p...

Isolation Quotes

He had grown to regard himself merely as a part of a vast blue demonstration. His province was to look out, as far as he could, for his personal comfort. For recreation he could twiddle his thumbs...

Man and the Natural World Quotes

The youth kept from intercourse with his companions as much as circumstances would allow him. In the evening he wandered a few paces into the gloom. From this little distance the many fires, with t...

Respect and Reputation Quotes

On the way to Washington his spirit had soared. The regiment was fed and caressed at station after station until the youth had believed that he must be a hero. There was a lavish expenditure of bre...

Duty Quotes

But he instantly saw that it would be impossible for him to escape from the regiment. It inclosed him. And there were iron laws of tradition and law on four sides. He was in a moving box (3.15).