Question

Read the following description from The Red Badge of Courage. "As he looked all about him and pondered the mystic gloom, he began to believe that at any moment the ominous distance might be aflame. Staring once at the red eyes across the river, he conceived them to be growing larger, as orbs of a row of dragons advancing." This description best supports which of the following central ideas?

a) Honor and reputation
b) The definition of courage
c) Growing from a boy into a man
d) The insignificance of man in nature

Answer 1

The description from The Red Badge of Courage best supports the central idea of b) The definition of courage.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passage from 'The Red Badge of Courage' highlighting the protagonist's internal struggle and anticipation of danger as he faces the fears associated with war.

As the protagonist contemplates the 'mystic gloom' and the 'red eyes across the river' growing larger, resembling 'orbs of a row of dragons,' he embodies the sense of facing unknown dangers and the psychological battle within, which is at the core of defining courage.

The passage conveys the inner turmoil and the looming presence of fear and challenge that the protagonists must confront, showcasing the central theme of grappling with personal courage in the face of war.

Therefore the best central idea of the passage would be b) The definition of courage.