Once Henry hears the words, “Here they come!.” he is a changed soldier. Henry seems to totally forget the fears that have almost overwhelmed him up to this point in the novel.
Henry transforms from a fearful, doubtful, questioning recruit to a confident, aggressive, regimental soldier in only one battle. Henry stands side by side with other recruits and with experienced veterans—all working together for a single cause—to hold the line. As Crane tells the reader, “He [Henry] became not a man but a member. He felt that something of which he was a part—a regiment, an army, a cause, a country—was in a crisis. He was welded into a common personality which was dominated by a single desire.” This is a phenomenon common to all human beings. In times of trouble, people find strength in numbers. Henry is no exception. He stands up in battle, fights, and helps the regiment repel the enemy.
Henry’ reaction is the reaction of any soldier. If he is to fight, he must be energized and focused. This attack by the enemy has angered and exasperated him, and, as a result, he wants to remove this source of irritation, in this case the enemy. His fears are surpassed by his anger and frustration, and he fires his rifle repeatedly as a result. It is not until the enemy retreats that he realizes what he and his comrades have accomplished.
Henry’s ability to recognize that the battle just completed is but one part of a larger war is significant because it shows Henry getting outside himself and looking at the bigger picture. To this point, Henry has been very focused on himself. This ability to get beyond himself and to see the larger issues shows a developing maturity on the part of Henry—something not seen before in him.
After the skirmish, as he rests, Henry drinks, and he observes the beauty and brightness of the sun and sky. He recognizes nature’s beauty even in this chaos. He marvels at nature’s patience with man. Through these insights, Crane creates the impression that nature is in control of man. Henry’s behavior from the beginning of the book is natural behavior: his fears, his doubts, his anger, his longing. Then, when he engages in battle, he comes to realize that he is a member of a group, and that there is strength in group membership. This behavior is part of the natural order of human life, and Crane points out that nature plays a prominent role in the lives of people and in this work.
Crane also continues to use figurative language to create powerful images in the mind of the reader. This chapter includes several similes which describe the battle vividly, including, “his eyeballs were about to crack like hot stones”; “The man at the youth’s elbow was babbling something soft and tender like the monologue of a babe”; and “The guns squatted in a row like savage chiefs.”
Also, Crane uses symbolism as the reader sees the flag representing inspiration, hope, and beauty—almost equally with nature—in this chapter. Crane tells the reader that “The youth felt the old thrill at the sight of the emblem. They [the flags] were like beautiful birds strangely undaunted in a storm.” The flag takes on added importance for Henry because in Chapter 19, the color sergeant, the flag bearer, is killed in battle, and, in Chapter 20, Henry, after scuffling with Wilson to win the right to hold the flag, assumes the responsibilities of flag bearer, exhibiting great enthusiasm and courage in that role.
