Fight or Flight: "The Youth" vs. "...Forrest, Forrest Gump"

In intense situations, a person's instinct to run varies based upon said person's definition of self-preservation.

In the Red Badge of Courage, Henry Flemming, aka "the youth," is a rookie solider who only enlisted out of boredom of life on the family farm. His first year in the army is peculiarly uneventful, camping out at the same location, making no friends. He's left with only his thoughts and the canvas of his tent. He comes to realize that he was wrong, war is less glamorous than he fathomed it should be. He begins pondering what he might actually do if he is in a battle, whether or not he would stay put and fight, or break rank and run. His first experience with war comes too soon, but to his own relief, Henry stays and fights. His company ends winning the battle, the enemy retreating. He sleeps well that night because his "supreme trial had passed." The next day, however, to every one's amazement, they are raided again; this time by surprise. Henry tries to prepare himself, but with so little time, he becomes overwhelmed. He "ran like a blind man," fleeing from the enemy, or what here refereed to as the "dragon." As he's retreating, he starts to notice all the other regiment's preparing for battle, calling them 'Methodical idiots!' and 'Machine-like fools!' He runs because he doesn't want to die.  In dangerous situations, Henry takes flight. He would rather run from life threatening problems to preserve his life, instead of staying and fighting for his life.

Forrest Gump, in my opinion, is a complete one-eighty from Henry Flemming. Forrest finds himself in the middle of the war in "Vee-at-nah-um," walking into a battle already rageing. After his unit tries to knock out the enemy, they lose hope and  Lieutenant Dan calls for aircraft, telling his unit to run. Forrest doesn't understand at first because he wants to stay and fight. But he ends up running, not because he's afraid of dying, but because he was told to. ("Run, Forrest! Run!") He runs, something that he is naturally talented at, and finds himself alone. He stops as he realizes this, and then turns around and runs back into the battle because "Bubba's my best good friend. I couldn't just leave him there." But as he runs back into the Valley of Death, he finds people yelling "Help me, Forrest!" He carries them to safety, but all in a frantic panic because he couldn't find Bubba. Forrest, even though he was told to run, runs back and fights because he's "...gotta find Bubba!" In intense situations, Forrest is a fighter. He gets what he wants because he doesn't realize fear, unlike Flemming. Forrest's definition of self-preservation is almost nonexistent in this situation because of his determination to save Bubba.

The fight or flight reflex is present in everyone, one appearing without the other in all situations. It's different for different people, a perfectly fine example of this being the difference in Flemming's and Gump's reactions when under pressure in different situations.