Thinking question

     Ok, this is probably because we just read The Red Badge of Courage, but one thing that I wondered about was the sergeant standing on the other side of the plank holding Peyton up. Do you think this was his first hanging? He steps off so calmly when the captain gives the nod but I wonder if there was an internal battle going on. Maybe his job depended on that decision. We don't really know the answers but just thoughts. :)

Comments

  1. Ethan J1 November 2020 at 19:28

    That's a really interesting question. To me it seems like the sergeant has definitely conducted multiple hangings before, simply because of how composed he seems to be. However, I think that there's for sure some internal battle raging on. Shooting a man during a battle may not weigh on one's conscious a whole lot because you can't see the aftermath. Hanging a man however, is a lot more emotionally grueling and personal.

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  2. Alma >:)2 November 2020 at 11:27

    Interesting observation! The sergeant seems almost too calm considering the acts taking place. I know that war can cause some to become numb to the usual guilt that accompanies harming others, which may be why we don’t see any hesitation when the sergeant steps away from the board.

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  3. Isaac Rassi2 November 2020 at 20:05

    I agree with both of you guys. The sergeant stepped off the plank without any hesitation, which tells me that he was not afraid and that it was not a new sight.

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