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【Abstract】Stephen Crane is one of the most famous American writers in late 19th century， and his work of art The Red Badge of Courage is an important masterpiece of naturalism in American literary. With the background of American civil war and the depiction of Henry’s personal experiences and psychological changes durin the war， from inocence to maturation， the author reveals the war’s profound inflence on the charactr’s growth. In this novel， the description of war presents readers a bright war scene. It seems as if the novel is writing about war， in fact， it is exploring the relationship between human and environment， for environment can change a person’s action and mind completely. There is no doubt that The Red Badge of Courage is an excellent novel of war.
【Key Words】Maturation； Stephen Crane； Red Badge
When born in this world everyone is innocent， along with time’s enhancement， people’s mind will be changed， for the more they received from the outer world， the more mature they will be. Sometimes， environment can make a person another one， to be better or to be worse. At different times， people’s thoughts are different.
I.Henry’s innocence as a young man
1.Henry’s attitude towards the army
At the beginning of the novel， author introduces to the readers an honest and simple-minded boy who wants to make contributions in the battlefield. When Henry is listening with eager ears to the words of the soldiers， this thought comes into his mind. In his heart there is a strong realization that a true man must be tested by the blood and the fire， which can be found in the war. The mood looking forward to the war is the initial psychology condition of Henry， and innocent thought plants a seed for the performance of Henry in future wars， it is also the beginning of the process from innocence to maturation.
2.Henry’s momentary military life
The first few days after joining the 304th regiment， Henry finds that he has nothing to do. Considering himself being separated by others， Henry is sad because of the talk among other soldiers. His sky is blue， the shadows of other soldiers are like huge evils， and all the things are repugnant and boring to him. His attitude to the war has been changed； war is different from what he thought before.
3.Henry’s dream of a hero
What makes the youth thirst for the war so strongly， even though he doesn’t know what war is like， of course， is the force to be a hero. In the chaotic times， everyone wants to become a hero respected and admired by others. But hero is not just a word， it means to experience kinds of unimaginable bitterness， and only bitterness is not enough. Ⅱ.Henry’s maturation as a soldier
1.Henry’s experience after his first battle
Escaping from the first battle， Henry enters thick woods and hopes to get a moment’s peace and quietness，Henry finds a little church built with some branches. This is supposed to bring him peace， but a scared corpse even captures his soul， so he flees the woods like a mad man. The dream that looking for from the nature is completely broken into pieces. The death of his good friend deepens the uneasy conscience of Henry， so he makes a decision the he should return the army， washing his shame by his actual action.
By accident Henry gets a red badge in his head. Facing the praise of his battle-companions， he feels his vanity is satisfied but the inner heart can’t be clam any more. He is hurt by the conscience and justice， telling himself to beat the fear in his heart. In the following wars， Henry nearly turns to be another person， he is like a mad horse， all the fear and cowardice are abandoned.
2.Henry’s courage achieved in the war
As the novel’s title reveals， it is no surprise that the courage is the most important element that runs through the novel. Defining it， desiring it， and achieving it are the narrative’s theme. At the beginning Henry’s mother gives him some suggestions that run counter to his own notion. She doesn’t care about if her son will win a praiseworthy name， she hopes that his son is an honest and brave one even though he is facing death.
With the development of the novel， the difference grows larger and larger. Because of the maturity Henry receives from the battles and friends， a more subtle and complex understanding of courage arises： courage is not simply established upon the other person’s mind， but it does incorporate egocentric understanding such as what one should do in a special environment and what kind of role one should act.
Conclusion
Rather than tell a story with a coherent plot and a traditional beginning， middle and end， Crane presents selected decisive moments in the life of his hero without the kind of traditional material that marked most novels written up to that time.
In this novel Crane considers war is cruel and its influence on the young generation is great. What the world needs most is peace. No wonder that 100 years after publication， The Red Badge of Courage is continually to be regarded as a central text of naturalism. And it is believed beyond doubt that yhe charm of this masterpiece will be lasted with the passage of time.
References：
[1]Chang Yaoxin. A Survey of American Literature[M].Tianjin： Nankai UP， 1990.
[2]梅华.战争在美国青年心灵上的投影[J].外国文学研究，1998.
[3]邹智勇.从斯蒂芬·克莱恩到杰克·伦敦[J].武汉大学学报（哲社版），1995.
【Key Words】Maturation； Stephen Crane； Red Badge
When born in this world everyone is innocent， along with time’s enhancement， people’s mind will be changed， for the more they received from the outer world， the more mature they will be. Sometimes， environment can make a person another one， to be better or to be worse. At different times， people’s thoughts are different.
I.Henry’s innocence as a young man
1.Henry’s attitude towards the army
At the beginning of the novel， author introduces to the readers an honest and simple-minded boy who wants to make contributions in the battlefield. When Henry is listening with eager ears to the words of the soldiers， this thought comes into his mind. In his heart there is a strong realization that a true man must be tested by the blood and the fire， which can be found in the war. The mood looking forward to the war is the initial psychology condition of Henry， and innocent thought plants a seed for the performance of Henry in future wars， it is also the beginning of the process from innocence to maturation.
2.Henry’s momentary military life
The first few days after joining the 304th regiment， Henry finds that he has nothing to do. Considering himself being separated by others， Henry is sad because of the talk among other soldiers. His sky is blue， the shadows of other soldiers are like huge evils， and all the things are repugnant and boring to him. His attitude to the war has been changed； war is different from what he thought before.
3.Henry’s dream of a hero
What makes the youth thirst for the war so strongly， even though he doesn’t know what war is like， of course， is the force to be a hero. In the chaotic times， everyone wants to become a hero respected and admired by others. But hero is not just a word， it means to experience kinds of unimaginable bitterness， and only bitterness is not enough. Ⅱ.Henry’s maturation as a soldier
1.Henry’s experience after his first battle
Escaping from the first battle， Henry enters thick woods and hopes to get a moment’s peace and quietness，Henry finds a little church built with some branches. This is supposed to bring him peace， but a scared corpse even captures his soul， so he flees the woods like a mad man. The dream that looking for from the nature is completely broken into pieces. The death of his good friend deepens the uneasy conscience of Henry， so he makes a decision the he should return the army， washing his shame by his actual action.
By accident Henry gets a red badge in his head. Facing the praise of his battle-companions， he feels his vanity is satisfied but the inner heart can’t be clam any more. He is hurt by the conscience and justice， telling himself to beat the fear in his heart. In the following wars， Henry nearly turns to be another person， he is like a mad horse， all the fear and cowardice are abandoned.
2.Henry’s courage achieved in the war
As the novel’s title reveals， it is no surprise that the courage is the most important element that runs through the novel. Defining it， desiring it， and achieving it are the narrative’s theme. At the beginning Henry’s mother gives him some suggestions that run counter to his own notion. She doesn’t care about if her son will win a praiseworthy name， she hopes that his son is an honest and brave one even though he is facing death.
With the development of the novel， the difference grows larger and larger. Because of the maturity Henry receives from the battles and friends， a more subtle and complex understanding of courage arises： courage is not simply established upon the other person’s mind， but it does incorporate egocentric understanding such as what one should do in a special environment and what kind of role one should act.
Conclusion
Rather than tell a story with a coherent plot and a traditional beginning， middle and end， Crane presents selected decisive moments in the life of his hero without the kind of traditional material that marked most novels written up to that time.
In this novel Crane considers war is cruel and its influence on the young generation is great. What the world needs most is peace. No wonder that 100 years after publication， The Red Badge of Courage is continually to be regarded as a central text of naturalism. And it is believed beyond doubt that yhe charm of this masterpiece will be lasted with the passage of time.
References：
[1]Chang Yaoxin. A Survey of American Literature[M].Tianjin： Nankai UP， 1990.
[2]梅华.战争在美国青年心灵上的投影[J].外国文学研究，1998.
[3]邹智勇.从斯蒂芬·克莱恩到杰克·伦敦[J].武汉大学学报（哲社版），1995.