War is no walk in the park, that's obvious. But what can result from war, apart from external wounds, are internal imperfections which can only be repaired by the mind itself. These flaws can be many obstacles, such as immaturity, selfishness, and jealousy, to name a few. In his storyline, The Red Badge of Courage, acknowledges them all through the thoughts of the main character, Henry, and the friends he makes along the way. By materializing fundamental human flaws, Stephen Crane reveals these traits and then corrects them through experience and struggle, both internally and externally. Youth to maturity was a common subject of the novel, and perhaps the most obvious. The transition Wilson faced from being a loud soldier in his introduction to a calmer, more mature soldier was evident in both his manner of acting and his behavior towards the war effort. . At first, he had the demeanor of a rowdy young soldier, confident in his ability to outrun the entire Confederate army with nothing but a rifle in his hand and boots on the ground (p. 18 ). Asked by Henry doubtfully about "fight or flight" in the face of danger, Wilson replied smugly: "'Run?... run?' - of course not! " Later in the story, before they entered the first battle, Wilson grew gloomy, suddenly unsure of the outcome of the battle and the effect it would take on the regiment. From then on , although the reader is spared any further details regarding Wilson (momentarily suggesting his death, as we only see the story from Henry's point of view), until Wilson is encountered by Henry in the camp of Union, seemingly with a gentler and more humble attitude (p. 90) Wilson is the representation of maturation from outspoken, rude and self-centered to helpful, humble and unflappable in the face of..... . middle of paper ...... after the battle, he flees his regiment - something he later feels ashamed of, but he is not wrong. Through a series of events, Henry realizes that he does not. There is no justice in war: the good will die, nature will not shed a tear for the lost, and changes must be made to prevail. And he succeeds after letting go of his childish jealousy and high expectations, then recognizes that the world was made for him. At the end of it all, Henry reaches a state of maturity not only through his experience, but also through his realizations that battle scars do not make a hero, but how his actions and sacrifices did. of him what he was. He understood that in life there are changes, tragedies and ill will, all brought together by exuberant and lasting moments of joy, just like in real life. Works CitedRed Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane.