The major Man vs. Self conflict in "The Red Badge of Courage" revolves around the protagonist, young soldier Henry Fleming, and his internal struggle with fear, courage, and his romantic illusions about warfare. Before experiencing battle, Henry is confronted with the fear of how he will respond under fire: will he stand and fight or will he flee like a coward? This existential dilemma is the core of his personal conflict. As he grapples with his desire for a "red badge" of courage— a wound representing his bravery—he is tormented by shame when he indeed flees during his first encounter with combat. Throughout the novel, his actions oscillate between attempts at self-justification, self-doubt, and a longing for redemption. In later battles, Henry overcompensates for his earlier cowardice by fighting with aggressive valor, demonstrating the complex interplay between his fear, guilt, and the aspiration to prove his manhood and bravery to himself and others.
