Comradery; chapters 1-15
Comrades: Yet another word we use without understanding the etymological significance. Tim has comrades; Henry has comrades. Check out the definition of “comrades” and etymology at Ditionary.com and compare that with Henry’s relationship to his comrades in the first fifteen chapters. Pay particular attention to the way the characters are revealed.
According to the definition gave by Dictionary.com the definition of a comrade is “a person who shares one’s interest or activities; and more often are fellow members of the same group.” This definition almost directly corresponds with the protagonist, Henry, within the first fifteen chapters of The Red Badge of Courage. One example of Henry’s comradery was in chapter ten when a wounded and tattered fellow soldier makes an attempt to help Henry and have him tend to his injuries for his best interest. The tattered man stated, “Ye’d better take keer of yer hurt. It don’t do t’ let sech things go. It might be inside mostly, an’ them plays thunder.” (Crane 58). In typical conversation we use the term “comrade” when referring to friendship, in reality the word means something entirely differently. The word comrade is directly exemplified in this portion of the novel. It involves two men fighting for the same purpose, and the one helping the other because it is for the better interest of their regiment. Another example of the proper definition of the word comrade being expressed was in chapter thirteen. Henry tells his fellow soldiers about how he had received his injuries and how they do in fact hurt rather badly, despite how he may come off. His comrades, or fellow soldiers, make efforts to lend a helping hand in tending to Henry’s wounds and his comfort. The loud soldier had said “Put ‘im t’ sleep in my blanket, Simpson. An’— hol’ on a minnit— here’s my canteen. It’s full ‘a coffee. Look at his head by th’ fire an’ see how it looks. Maybe it’s a pretty bad un. When I git relieved in a couple ‘a minnits, I’ll be over an’ see t’ him.” (73). The one soldier isn’t offering so much assistance because he is close or a mutual friend with Henry, but because Henry is a member of the same regiment, and it is his duty to help a comrade in times of need. Also, with Henry well again, that is another soldier to help fight for the same side in the battle; which I believe one more soldier couldn’t hurt.
