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The Red Badge of Courage Chapter 15 Summary

  • Things take a surprising turn here. Henry and Wilson (the previously-loud-and-now-newly etc.) are marching along. Henry suddenly remembers that he has that packet of letters Wilson wanted him to give his family if he died.
  • This makes Henry feels vastly superior to Wilson.
  • In fact, to quote Crane, Henry (unlike Wilson), "had performed his mistakes in the dark, so he was still a man" (15.13). (Scary, scary philosophy; although so true if you think about it. Everybody’s all fine and good until the indictments are handed down and the paparazzi are there to make it real.)
  • Henry’s ego inflates to the size of his head (which we’ve determined for you is still the size of a "youth"-sized basketball).
  • Coincidentally (or not so much so, if you consider the fact that a writer is writing all this), right at this very moment, Wilson BLUSHES big time and says that Henry can give him the letters back.
  • Henry does, and without acting like too much of a thunder-bag, either.
  • This makes Henry regard himself as "an individual of extraordinary virtues," also known as Self-Image #467 so far.