Bravery for Selfish Reason

Ambrose Bierce wrote short stories based on his personal experiences and observations during the American Civil War. Although it looks like Bierce’s stories are about bravery and nobility of war, in reality Bierce sends a message to his readers about the cruelty of war through different points. In each story, Bierce writes about bravery and nobility of his character but actually exposes his or her personality flaw by use of gallows humor. One of Bierce’s stories “Killed at Resaca” (Bierce 63-68) clearly shows the personality flaw, selfishness, of the main character Lieutenant Herman Brayle.

Bierce starts the story by introducing the main character Brayle and gives some information, mostly physical description, about him. Although Bierce writes, “The best soldier of our staff was Lieutenant Herman Brayle” (Bierce 63), he does not explain why Brayle is the best officer within the staff section. A statement like that at the very beginning of the story automatically sets the expectations of the reader about Brayle. One would think that Brayle is a soldier, an officer, who sets the standards and lead by example, but Bierce’s message changes in the third paragraph of the story.

Bierce writes, “we observed that he had one most objectionable and unsoldierly quality: he was vain of his courage” (Bierce 63). Bierce, as an officer in the Army, knows that Brayle’s actions does not reflect the quality of an officer should posses. Although Baryle’s actions might seem courageous and inspiring to an ordinary civilian, anybody with military background and tactical knowledge can see the underlying danger of Brayle’s actions.

Bierce continues to tell Brayle’s story using gallows humor and actually further exposes Brayle’s flaws. Bierce writes, “h...

... middle of paper ...

...tle in Virginia, where he got his hurt, you were seen crouching behind a tree …I could bear to hear of my soldier lover's death, but not of his cowardice" (Bierce 67). Baryle’s false presentation of courage was to prove his bravery to his lover. Although Baryle never thought that, his lover might never know if he uphold her expectations from him. At the end of the story, when she ask about the circumstances of Baryle’s death, Bierce simply told her “he was bitten by a snake” (Bierce 68).

Even though Bierce choose a different style to deliver his message to his readers, at the end of the story, the readers can clearly see Baryle’s reasons for bravery was selfish and his actions has nothing to do with his love for his country or his man.

Works Cited

Bierce, Ambrose. “Killed at Resaca.” Civil War Stories. Ed. Candace Ward. Mineola, NY: Dover, 1994. 63-68. Print