Read the excerpt from The Red Badge of Courage. In this excerpt, Henry Fleming and his regiment have just lost a battle.

Before the gray mists had been totally obliterated by the sun rays, the regiment was marching in a spread column that was retiring carefully through the woods. The disordered, hurrying lines of the enemy could sometimes be seen down through the groves and little fields. They were yelling, shrill and exultant.

At this sight the youth forgot many personal matters and became greatly enraged. He exploded in loud sentences. "B’jiminey, we’re generaled by a lot ‘a lunkheads.”

"More than one feller has said that t’-day,” observed a man.

His friend, recently arosed, was still very drowsy. He looked behind him until his mind took in the meaning of the movement. Then he sighed. "Oh, well, I s’pose we got licked,” he remarked sadly.


The youth had a thought that it would not be handsome for him to freely condemn other men. He made an attempt to restrain himself, but the words upon his tongue were too bitter. He presently began a long and intricate denunciation of the commander of the forces. who has been caned and kicked.

"Mebbe, it wa’n’t all his fault--not all together. He did th’ best he knowed. It’s our luck t’ git licked often,” said his friend in a weary tone. He was trudging along with stooped shoulders and shifting eyes like a manWhich detail from the excerpt best shows the conflicting perspectives between Henry and his friend?



A “At this sight the youth forgot many personal matters and became greatly enraged. He exploded in loud sentences.”

B “His friend, recently arused, was still very drowsy. He looked behind him until his mind took in the meaning of the movement.”

C “‘Mebbe, it wa’n’t all his fault—not all together. He did th’ best he knowed. It’s our luck t’ git licked often.’”

D “He was trudging along with stooped shoulders and shifting eyes like a man who has been caned and kicked.”