The Red Badge of Courage
What is significant about the story of Jack told by the cheerful soldier?
Why is this story important to the rest of the book?
Why is this story important to the rest of the book?
The cheerful soldier tells Henry a story about a soldier named Jack in his unit that was shot in the head in the process of telling someone to go to hell. One might interpret this story as reflecting how death is random in war and often unavoidable: it can happen at the most random moments.