The document provides background information on Stephen Crane's novel The Red Badge of Courage. It discusses how the novel was one of the first modern American novels and was praised upon its initial publication. It also notes that while Crane had not experienced battle firsthand, he studied the psychology of war through other means. The summary then provides a brief overview of the plot, following a young soldier named Henry Fleming through his first battle where he initially deserts but later finds courage. Key themes of courage, self-preservation, and transformation are also mentioned.