Part 15 (1/2)
Chapter VIII.
25 (p. 51 ) (p. 51 ) imitative of some sublime drum major: imitative of some sublime drum major: Each Union regiment was allotted two musicians. Among other functions, a drummer would beat a tattoo to set the pace for an advance. Here Crane emphasizes one of a drum major's noncombative roles-to strut before a band in parade. Each Union regiment was allotted two musicians. Among other functions, a drummer would beat a tattoo to set the pace for an advance. Here Crane emphasizes one of a drum major's noncombative roles-to strut before a band in parade.
26 (p. 51) (p. 51) ”Sing ”Sing a song ... a song ... pie pie”: Crane rewords the Mother Goose rhyme: ”Sing a song of sixpence, a pocketful of rye; four and twenty black-birds baked in a pie....” The alteration of the number to ”five an' twenty” may have been intended to correspond with the number of chapters in the original ma.n.u.script.
27 (p. 51) (p. 51) the specter of the specter of a a soldier: soldier: Crane changes Conklin's epithet from ”the tall soldier” to ”the specter” and later the ”spectral soldier.” Fleming's initial inability to recognize Conklin resembles an incident in Ambrose Bierce's tale ”One of the Missing” (published in Crane changes Conklin's epithet from ”the tall soldier” to ”the specter” and later the ”spectral soldier.” Fleming's initial inability to recognize Conklin resembles an incident in Ambrose Bierce's tale ”One of the Missing” (published in Tales of Soldiers and Tales of Soldiers and Civilians), in which horror so disfigures an infantryman's face that his own brother does not recognize him. Civilians), in which horror so disfigures an infantryman's face that his own brother does not recognize him.
28 (p. 52) a (p. 52) a tattered man: tattered man: This is perhaps the most interesting of Crane's epithets. Note how Crane avoids calling him a ”soldier,” a term that a.s.sociates an individual with an organization. The word ”man” sets him apart from the army that surrounds him and thus emphasizes how war has broken him physically and psychologically and sent him into isolation. This is perhaps the most interesting of Crane's epithets. Note how Crane avoids calling him a ”soldier,” a term that a.s.sociates an individual with an organization. The word ”man” sets him apart from the army that surrounds him and thus emphasizes how war has broken him physically and psychologically and sent him into isolation.
Chapter IX.
29 (p. 58) (p. 58) like like a a wafer wafer: Critics have long debated how much of a religious dimension Crane intended in this concluding image. Some maintain that the spectral soldier's death parallels Christ's crucifixion. Jim Conklin shares initials with Jesus Christ. Both had wounds in their sides. The ”wafer” may symbolize a secular Eucharist, Crane's homage to the price ordinary men had to pay for the sins of their country. Biographer Robert Stallman traces the image to Rudyard Kipling's The Light That Failed The Light That Failed (1890), a novel known to have had a significant impact upon Crane's self-image as an artist. (1890), a novel known to have had a significant impact upon Crane's self-image as an artist.
Chapter XI.
30 (p. 68) (p. 68) He was He was a a slang phrase: slang phrase: Many alterations and excisions of text occurred between the various ma.n.u.scripts and the first printing of the book. At this point, for instance, Crane discarded his original chapter XII, reducing the novel from twenty-five to twenty-four chapters. As with many of the other pa.s.sages he eliminated, the chapter explored Fleming's philosophical musings of the moment: ”He was unfit, then. He did not come into the scheme of further life. His tiny part had been done and he must go. There was no room for him.” Many alterations and excisions of text occurred between the various ma.n.u.scripts and the first printing of the book. At this point, for instance, Crane discarded his original chapter XII, reducing the novel from twenty-five to twenty-four chapters. As with many of the other pa.s.sages he eliminated, the chapter explored Fleming's philosophical musings of the moment: ”He was unfit, then. He did not come into the scheme of further life. His tiny part had been done and he must go. There was no room for him.”
Chapter XII.
31 (p. 69) (p. 69) they charged down upon him: they charged down upon him: We began to see the signs of the collapse of the Union right wing in the previous chapter. Stonewall Jackson's flanking maneuver succeeded spectacularly. The Union's Eleventh Corps, commanded by Major General Oliver O. Howard, panicked and fled in disarray, thus nullifying Hooker's strategy and threatening his army with immediate defeat. In chapter XII, Fleming confronts the most chaotic point in the battle. That night, after reconnoitering the Union position, Jackson was accidentally shot by his own troops; he died on May 10, 1863. We began to see the signs of the collapse of the Union right wing in the previous chapter. Stonewall Jackson's flanking maneuver succeeded spectacularly. The Union's Eleventh Corps, commanded by Major General Oliver O. Howard, panicked and fled in disarray, thus nullifying Hooker's strategy and threatening his army with immediate defeat. In chapter XII, Fleming confronts the most chaotic point in the battle. That night, after reconnoitering the Union position, Jackson was accidentally shot by his own troops; he died on May 10, 1863.
32 (p. 69) (p. 69) ”Where de plank road ”Where de plank road?”: Built to transport tobacco to market, the strategically important plank road extended more than 11 miles from Wilderness Church in the west to Fredericksburg in the east. It had been constructed by ab.u.t.ting and fastening 2-inch-thick planks transversely laid across the road surface and was now in poor condition.
33 (p. 70) (p. 70) It crushed upon the youth's head: It crushed upon the youth's head: Many scholars agree that this incident marks the ”turning point” in the novel. Ironically, Fleming's ”red badge of courage” comes at the end of a Union rifle b.u.t.t held by a psychological mirror image of the man he had been when he fled in chapter VI. As employed by Dante Alighieri in The Inferno, Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queene, and many other major writers, such turning points are accompanied by a period of unconsciousness for the protagonist. Many scholars agree that this incident marks the ”turning point” in the novel. Ironically, Fleming's ”red badge of courage” comes at the end of a Union rifle b.u.t.t held by a psychological mirror image of the man he had been when he fled in chapter VI. As employed by Dante Alighieri in The Inferno, Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queene, and many other major writers, such turning points are accompanied by a period of unconsciousness for the protagonist.
34 (p. 72) (p. 72) a cheery voice near his shoulder a cheery voice near his shoulder: Some scholars suggest that this scene parallels the parable about the Good Samaritan in the Bible, Luke 10:29-37.
Chapter XIII.
35 (p. 76) (p. 76) his friend: his friend: Note how Wilson's epithet has changed from ”loud soldier” to ”friend.” Note how Wilson's epithet has changed from ”loud soldier” to ”friend.”
36 (p. 77) (p. 77) ”Yeh've been grazed by a ball” ”Yeh've been grazed by a ball”: This incident typifies Crane's contrasting the truth of perception with the fallacy of human reasoning. The corporal here dismisses what he sees despite the evidence. Remember that in a parallel situation the company lieutenant tried to stop Fleming from skedaddling in chapter VI, but the officer either does not remember or chooses not to do anything about the desertion in the second half of the novel.
Chapter XIV.
37 (p. 84) (p. 84) ”Jest like you done”: ”Jest like you done”: This is tacit evidence that the panic that had seized Fleming had been more common among his peers than he realizes. This is tacit evidence that the panic that had seized Fleming had been more common among his peers than he realizes.
Chapter XVI.
38 (p. 88) to relieve a command: The 304th's movement parallels the redeployment of the Third Corps on May 3 to reinforce the right wing of the Union line. (p. 88) to relieve a command: The 304th's movement parallels the redeployment of the Third Corps on May 3 to reinforce the right wing of the Union line.
39 (p. 89) (p. 89) ”More than one feller has said that t'-day”: ”More than one feller has said that t'-day”: Fleming's att.i.tude was common among Union soldiers. Most Union generals paled when compared to the tactical brilliance of Robert E. Lee. Abraham Lincoln's firing of ineffective generals probably reinforced the infantrymen's distrust of their military leaders.h.i.+p. Fleming's att.i.tude was common among Union soldiers. Most Union generals paled when compared to the tactical brilliance of Robert E. Lee. Abraham Lincoln's firing of ineffective generals probably reinforced the infantrymen's distrust of their military leaders.h.i.+p.
40 (p. 90) (p. 90) the brigadier: This the brigadier: This is probably the brigade commander. is probably the brigade commander.
Chapter XVII.
41 (p. 95) (p. 95) ”Oh,” he said, comprehending: ”Oh,” he said, comprehending: Fleming's unease when he realizes that others notice his actions under fire ironically antic.i.p.ates an incident that occurred later when Crane was a war correspondent in Cuba during the Spanish-American War in 1898. In the company of the Rough Riders, who at one point were pinned down by enemy fire, Crane needlessly and nonchalantly strolled along a ridge in his white rain slicker, smoking his pipe and inviting a hail of Spanish bullets. He ignored the orders of an American colonel and others to regain cover until fellow correspondent and fiction writer Richard Harding Davis commented, ”You're not impressing anyone by doing that, Crane,” at which point a self-conscious, embarra.s.sed Crane ended his show of bravado and rejoined the entrenched troops. Fleming's unease when he realizes that others notice his actions under fire ironically antic.i.p.ates an incident that occurred later when Crane was a war correspondent in Cuba during the Spanish-American War in 1898. In the company of the Rough Riders, who at one point were pinned down by enemy fire, Crane needlessly and nonchalantly strolled along a ridge in his white rain slicker, smoking his pipe and inviting a hail of Spanish bullets. He ignored the orders of an American colonel and others to regain cover until fellow correspondent and fiction writer Richard Harding Davis commented, ”You're not impressing anyone by doing that, Crane,” at which point a self-conscious, embarra.s.sed Crane ended his show of bravado and rejoined the entrenched troops.
Chapter XVIII.
42 (p. 100) th' 12th ... th' 76th ... th' 304th: The officer's omission of state names before regimental numbers may be because all are from New York, as was the case for the actual Second Brigade of the Second Division in the Third Corps. (p. 100) th' 12th ... th' 76th ... th' 304th: The officer's omission of state names before regimental numbers may be because all are from New York, as was the case for the actual Second Brigade of the Second Division in the Third Corps.
Chapter XXI.
43 (p. 114) (p. 114) Whiterside: Whiterside: This is probably a commander of another brigade in Fleming's division. This is probably a commander of another brigade in Fleming's division.
Chapter XXII XXII.
44 (p. 117) a (p. 117) a house: house: This is possibly the Bullock house, a structure that stood near a strategic crossroads just north of Chancellorsville. This is possibly the Bullock house, a structure that stood near a strategic crossroads just north of Chancellorsville.