Jim Conklin ("the tall soldier") Character Analysis in The Red Badge of Courage

Another friend of Henry's in the regiment, Jim offers Henry a pragmatic viewpoint on courage at the beginning of the story: run when others run, fight like mad when they fight. He also embodies the consequences of this viewpoint. Jim is so terribly injured in the first battle that he is almost unrecognizable to Henry. As the injured "spectral soldier," with his eyes gazing deep into the unknown, Jim is like a window into death. But if he finds any secrets or meaning as he stares into death, Jim never passes them along. The spectral soldier represents a meeting point between life and death, and between Henry's glorious ideals of war and the shocking gruesome reality of the real thing.

Jim Conklin ("the tall soldier") Character Timeline in The Red Badge of Courage

The timeline below shows where the character Jim Conklin ("the tall soldier") appears in The Red Badge of Courage. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...from the 304th regiment of New York. As the camp stirs, a tall soldier named Jim Conklin tells the others he's heard a rumor that the generals plan to march their... (full context)

A young private, Henry Fleming, listens to Jim and returns to his bunk to think. As a youth, he had always dreamed of... (full context)

...know how he'll act: will he fight courageously, or will he run away? Henry asks Jim if he's ever considered running. Jim replies that he'd run if everyone else did, but... (full context)

Jim was wrong: for several days afterwards, the regiment doesn't move. Henry remains nervous about his... (full context)

One morning, Henry is kicked awake by Jim. The soldiers are soon running toward spatters of gunfire. Henry realizes he couldn't run away... (full context)

...walks at Henry's side, refusing everyone's offers to help him. Henry suddenly recognizes him as Jim Conklin. Jim says the fight was terrible and he got shot. He tells Henry he's... (full context)

Spurred on by some strange energy, Jim suddenly bolts away into the fields. Henry is terrified by the sight and chases after... (full context)

Henry is spellbound by Jim's corpse. He stares into Jim's paste-like face and, when Jim's jacket falls away, sees Jim's... (full context)

The tattered man is awed by Jim's strength and by his strange death. He then admits to Henry that he's also starting... (full context)

...that they didn't see anything compared to the fighting he has experienced. Henry tells him Jim Conklin is dead. Wilson says the regiment lost half their men in the fight, but... (full context)