The Ordeal of Private Henry Fleming: Reflections on War and Maturity

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to depict Private Henry Fleming, the leading character in Stephen Crane's narrative, in the grip of doubt and fear. He is tormented by the specter of war, and his overactive fancy plays havoc with his fears and uncertainties. More precisely, using the theory of character development, the article shows that this fear has, over the course of his history as a young soldier, become the catalyst for his metamorphosis, revealing the subtleties of his personality and the depths of his emotional maturity.