The Red Badge of Courage

Henry Fleming, a young man longing to experience the heroics of war, joins the army to fight in the U.S. Civil War. Once he is immersed in real fighting, his romantic ideas about battle vanish, and Henry struggles against the fear of dying, fear of the judgments of other men, and guilt when he runs from battle. He returns to the fight to overcome his fears and finds that, when tested, he does indeed possess courage and leadership.