-->''He wished that he, too, had a wound, [[TitleDrop a red badge of courage]]''

''The Red Badge of Courage'' is a novel about the [[TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]], and is probably the modern TropeCodifier for WarIsHell. The book is about Henry Fleming, a young soldier who flees a battle, but eventually returns to win the day.

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!!This book provides examples of:

* TheAmericanCivilWar
* ChildSoldiers: A lot of soldiers. Henry, for example, is still in school.
* ComingOfAgeStory
* {{Deconstruction}}: WarIsGlorious? Think again.
* DiedStandingUp: Jim Conklin.
* DirtyCoward: Henry at first before CharacterDevelopment turns him into a total {{Badass}}.
* DoNotDoThisCoolThing: Averted, since there is very little warfare actually ''shown''; Henry is fleeing for much of it, and in the end he becomes a man because he ''doesn't'' want to fight any more.
* JumpedAtTheCall: Henry, without realizing what he's doing until he's too deep in it. Considering it's TheAmericanCivilWar, there were probably lots more.
* OhCrap: Many soldiers, including Henry, panic when the Confederates charge a second time. Also when Henry and Wilson overhear that their regiment will be used as CannonFodder.
* WarIsHell: But the courageous get a badge! (The badge you get is made of wounds and death.)
** Also this is the CivilWar we're talking about, so wounds, death, intense pain and infection! [[SarcasmMode JOY!]]

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