Some of my April reads

NOVEL: The Red Badge of Courage

Author: Stephen Crane
Genre: War novel
Published: 1895

Blurb: A young soldier dreams of honor and glory as he joins the Union Army to fight in the Civil War, but the reality of battle fills him with fear and doubt. He must learn to act in spite of his fear and discover a purpose for fighting that isn’t rooted in fantasy.

What worked for me: What stuck with me most was Crane’s use of red: the rage of war, a soldier’s blood, and the literal “red badge of courage”—a wound that proves bravery. I thought the writing was outstanding. The internal struggle of the young soldier was vivid. I can see why the teacher thought I should read this back when I was in school (but I didn’t because I was a bad student).

What didn’t work for me: Some of the 1800s language tripped me up. Words that no one uses anymore took a few repeats before they clicked. And we can’t forget how infantile I can be. When a soldier became erect (stood up) and ejaculated (his words), this school boy couldn’t help but giggle.

Thoughts & Takeaways: Growing up in the ’80s, war wasn’t glory—it was nuclear fallout and end-of-the-world scenarios. Sure, we still wanted to be heroes, but not on a battlefield. Maybe in space. Maybe on a screen. I don’t think I ever figured out what my version of courage looked like.

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PLAY: Oedipus the King

Author: Sophocles
Genre: Tragedy
Written: c.429 B.C.E.

Blurb: Vowing to save his city from blight and famine, King Oedipus uncovers a chilling prophecy that he has unknowingly fulfilled—killing his father and marrying his mother.

Thoughts & Takeaways: This is the origin of the term “Oedipal Complex,” which is Freud’s theory that children undergo a stage where they harbor feelings of hatred towards the same-sex parent and develop a desire for the opposite-sex parent. That doesn’t really match the tragedy of the story, except maybe that that motherfvcker fvcked his mother. Ultimately, it is a tale of prophecy and fate, and Oedipus was the victim of everyone who tried to sidestep that prophecy.