The Red Badge of Courage: Chapters 1–5

by Stephen Crane
Henry Fleming is a young Union private during the Civil War. After fleeing from battle, he'll do anything for a second chance to prove his bravery.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–11, Chapters 12–18, Chapters 19–24

Here is a link to The Open Boat by Stephen Crane.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. lucid
    transparently clear; easily understandable
    One outlined in a peculiarly lucid manner all the plans of the commanding general.
  2. siege
    an action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified place
    He had read of marches, sieges, conflicts, and he had longed to see it all.
  3. monotonous
    tediously repetitious or lacking in variety
    After complicated journeyings with many pauses, there had come months of monotonous life in a camp.
  4. formidable
    extremely impressive in strength or excellence
    For a moment he seemed to be searching for a formidable reply.
  5. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    As he looked all about him and pondered upon the mystic gloom, he began to believe that at any moment the ominous distance might be aflare, and the rolling crashes of an engagement come to his ears.
  6. blithe
    carefree and happy and lighthearted
    The youth, considering himself as separated from the others, was saddened by the blithe and merry speeches that went from rank to rank.
  7. exultant
    joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success
    As he spoke his boyish face was wreathed in a gleeful smile, and his voice had an exultant ring.
  8. aggregation
    several things grouped together or considered as a whole
    Veteran regiments in the army were likely to be very small aggregations of men.
  9. obstruction
    any structure that makes progress difficult
    All his faculties seemed to be needed to guide him over and past obstructions.
  10. harangue
    a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion
    He thought that he must break from the ranks and harangue his comrades.
  11. nonchalant
    marked by casual unconcern or indifference
    The philosophical tall soldier measured a sandwich of cracker and pork and swallowed it in a nonchalant manner.
  12. awry
    turned or twisted to one side
    His hat was gone and his clothes were awry.
  13. querulous
    habitually complaining
    Of a sudden another broke out in a querulous way like a man who has mislaid his hat.
  14. incessant
    uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
    The steel ramrods clanked and clanged with incessant din as the men pounded them furiously into the hot rifle barrels.
  15. vindictive
    disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
    The firing dwindled from an uproar to a last vindictive popping.
Created on Mon Feb 11 14:14:41 EST 2013 (updated Tue Aug 05 15:52:01 EDT 2025)

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