The Red Badge of Courage

Use context clues to determine the meaning of the word ardor as it is used in "The Red Badge of Courage". Write your definition of ardor and tell how you arrived at it.

but his mother had discouraged him. She had affected to look with some contempt upon the quality of his war ardor and patriotism. She could calmly seatherself and with no apperent difficulty give him many hundreds of reasons why he was of vastly more importance on the farm than on the field of battle. She had certain ways of expression that told him that her statements on the subject came from a deep convention

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In context, I would define the word ardor as "zeal"..... or enthusiasm. Henry dreams of glorious battles and heroism.

He had burned several times to enlist. Tales of great movements shook the land. They might not be distinctly Homeric, but there seemed to be much glory in them. He had read of marches, sieges, conflicts, and he had longed to see it all. His busy mind had drawn for him large pictures extravagant in color, lurid with breathless deeds.

Source(s)

The Red Badge of Courage, Chapter One