Midterm Essay Exam. Catholic social taeching. Social Sciences Essay

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Catholic Social Teaching
Written by American writer Stephen Crane, the Red Badge of Courage is a famous war novel; its story took place during the American Civil War and is about Henry Fleming who decides to fly from the battlefield as he is overcome with hesitation and shame, to counteract his cowardice. The Catholic social principle applicable to this story is Care for God’s Creation. It is crucial for us to love the creatures of God and work for their betterment, without any personal means.
Throughout his life, Henry Fleming fights to preserve his identity, manhood, and courage. In the beginning, he depends on traditional ways of fighting on the battlefield. Later on, he realizes and concludes that religion and education have tamed people of their savagery and made them restricted and domestic, so he participates in the way in his unique style (Pillai 124). As Henry Fleming makes his way from one battle to another, he becomes convinced that his accumulated experience will earn him lots of praise and appreciations of women and the anger of men. He wants to become a hero, but at the same time, he wants to help people forget about their limitations and restrictions.
Basically, the character of Henry teaches us that we should love all creatures of God. He initially thinks that like the hero of an ancient war, he will return from the battlefield with a shield in his hands. However, things are not as easy as Henry feels. In the first chapter of the book, he can be found recalling his mother’s advice that he should fulfill the requirements of his job with honesty and sincerity and that he shou...