September 16: Open Pompt Response

Prompt: 1999. The eighteenth-century British novelist Laurence Sterne wrote, "No body, but he who has felt it, can conceive what a plaguing thing it is to have a man's mind torn asunder by two projects of equal strength, both obstinately pulling in a contrary direction at the same time."

          From a novel or play choose a character (not necessarily the protagonist) whose mind is pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires, ambitions, obligations, or influences. Then, in a well-organized essay, identify each of the two conflicting forces and explain how this conflict with one character illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. You may use one of the novels or plays listed below or another novel or work of similar literary quality.

My Response:

          In Stephen Crane's novel The Red Badge of Courage, the young soldier Henry Fleming is torn between his instinct for self-preservation and his duties as a soldier. Throughout the novel, the different feelings confuse him, with each one dominating in different scenes. By describing Henry's internal conflict, Crane hopes to capture the internal conflict between fear and duty that every soldier must face.

          The meaning of Henry's internal struggle is made significant by Crane's generality. Throughout the novel, Crane leaves out many details, such as the name of the battle, the name of the generals, and the location of the battlefield. He also refrains from referring to Henry by name in most cases, preferring to call him "the youth" or "the soldier". The effect of this is that the conflict and characters are almost anonymous--it could be the story of any soldier in any battle. This generality gives Henry's conflict a deeper meaning, because it is not his conflict, but the conflict of a generic soldier.

          One side of Henry is dominated by fear. Before going into battle, he expresses doubt in his own courage, wondering if he will be able to stand his ground. Crane describes how it seems to Henry that all the other soldiers appear not to be troubled. But because of the impersonal sense of the story, it seems Crane means the reader to understand each soldier feels this way. Crane therefore seems to be making the point that all soldiers are afraid, but they gain courage from the group.

          Henry's fear is counteracted in part by his sense of duty. In battle, he is able to conquer his fear by losing his sense of individualism, and becoming part of the army as a whole--like a "cog in a machine". But the victory of one emotion is only temporary, and before long fear returns to dominate Henry, and he flees the battlefield. Several more times though out the novel, Henry's conquers his fear, only to have it return shortly afterwards. Crane therefore makes the point the coming to terms with the fear of death does not occur in a moment, and that a soldier's internal conflict lasts days, weeks, or the whole time he is a soldier. 

          Henry's internal conflict is much larger than Henry himself. By focusing on the opposing feelings and questions tormenting Henry's mind, while also distancing the reader from Henry's individuality, Crane creates a powerful message about war and soldiers in general.