Question

The following question references the novel The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.

How does Henry's mother feel about Henry joining the army? Does she tell him specifically what she thinks about it or does he
have to assume? Are their opinions similar?
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Answer 1

Before joining the army, Henry dreamed of grand battles that "thrilled him with their sweep and fire," and he seems to desire a "Greeklike" or "Homeric" struggle. His mother had discouraged him from joining but he enlists anyway.

When Henry finally leaves, his mother does not try to convince him to be a hero, as he expected. Instead of an impassioned, beautiful scene, his mother gives him some simple advice. She tells him to be careful and not try to beat the entire rebel army himself and not to fall in with a bad group of soldiers. Then she adds: "I don't know what else to tell yeh, Henry, excepting that yeh must never do no shirking, child, on my account. If so be a time comes when yeh have to be kilt or do a mean thing, why, Henry, don't think of anything cept what's right."

Answer 2

Before Henry joined the army, he envisages fighting in grand battles and being swept away by their "sweep and fire" and because of this he wants to become a Greek or "Homeric" figure. He is dissuaded by his mother from joining the army but he goes against her wishes and enlists.

When he leaves for war, his mother goes contrary to his expectations and instead of convincing him to be a war hero, she gives him a simple advice.

She asks him to take care of himself and be careful and not be a rebel and fall into the group of bad soldiers. She tells him, " don't know what else to tell yeh, Henry, excepting that yeh must never do no shirking, child, on my account. If so be a time comes when yeh have to be kilt or do a mean thing, why, Henry, don't think of anything cept what's right."

From the quote above, his mother implores him to always do the right thing when he is faced with the opportunity to do wrong.