Killed at Resaca Flashcards
by Ambrose Bierce — tap or click to flip
Flashcard Review
Flashcards: Killed at Resaca
Who is the main character in 'Killed at Resaca'?
Lieutenant Herman Brayle, a tall, handsome Union officer from Ohio who serves as an aide-de-camp on a brigade staff during the Civil War.
What is Brayle's most notable and dangerous habit during battle?
He refuses to take cover, standing or sitting his horse fully exposed in his dress uniform while under enemy fire.
How is Brayle physically described?
More than six feet tall with light hair, gray-blue eyes, splendid proportions, and commonly in full uniform, making him a very striking and conspicuous figure.
What is the narrator's military role?
He is a topographical engineer serving on a Union brigade staff.
Who is Marian Mendenhall?
A beautiful, well-bred woman living in San Francisco whose letter to Brayle is the cause of his reckless battlefield behavior.
At what battle is Brayle's reckless courage first observed?
The Battle of Stones River (December 1862 - January 1863) in Tennessee.
At what battle does Brayle die?
The Battle of Resaca in Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of 1864.
What order leads to Brayle's final ride?
The general orders him to tell Colonel Ward to advance as close as he can get cover and not waste ammunition, suggesting he leave his horse and take the wooded route.
What does Brayle do instead of taking the safe route through the woods?
He canters his horse directly into the open field, parallel to and in full view of the Confederate earthworks.
What stops Brayle's advance across the field?
A deep, sinuous gully crossing the field that is impassable on horseback, after his horse has been shot.
Why doesn't Brayle take shelter in the gully?
He refuses to take cover under any circumstances. He stands motionless facing the enemy until he is killed.
How do the Confederate soldiers respond to Brayle's death?
They come out under a truce, help carry his body, and their fife-and-drum corps plays a dirge in his honor.
What is found among Brayle's personal effects after his death?
A soiled Russia-leather pocketbook containing a letter from Marian Mendenhall.
What does Mendenhall's letter say that drives Brayle's behavior?
It mentions a rumor that he was seen crouching behind a tree during battle, and states she could bear to hear of his death but not of his cowardice.
What is the narrator's final line to Mendenhall about how Brayle died?
He was bitten by a snake.
What is the double meaning of 'He was bitten by a snake'?
It literally is a lie about Brayle's death, but metaphorically identifies Mendenhall as the snake whose venomous words killed him.
What type of irony drives the central revelation of the story?
Dramatic irony: Brayle's seemingly noble courage is actually a desperate performance driven by a woman's casual taunt about cowardice.
What imagery contrast does Bierce create between the battlefield and Mendenhall's parlor?
The battlefield is associated with heavenly imagery (white flag, sacred burden, dirge) while Mendenhall's parlor uses hellish imagery (blazing coals, crimson stain).
What narrative technique does Bierce use to tell the story?
First-person narration from a fellow officer who witnessed Brayle's behavior and later discovered the reason for it.
What is the central theme of 'Killed at Resaca'?
The deceptive nature of courage: Brayle's apparent heroism is actually driven by a personal need to prove himself to a woman, not by patriotism or principle.
How does Bierce critique civilian attitudes toward war in this story?
Through Mendenhall, who romanticizes courage from the safety of San Francisco and casually demands performed heroism, leading to Brayle's death and approximately a hundred others.
What does the narrator mean when he asks 'Is woman weak?'
It is bitterly ironic. Mendenhall's words, written casually in a letter, had the power to slaughter a hundred men, making her influence devastatingly strong.
What happens when the narrator returns the bloodstained letter to Mendenhall?
She flings it into the fireplace, saying she cannot bear the sight of blood, revealing her complete disconnection from the violence her words caused.
What is the significance of Brayle adjusting the captain's limbs after he is killed?
It shows Brayle's genuine compassion and respect for the dead, contrasting with his seemingly foolish bravery, and adding complexity to his character.
What bet does the stammering officer propose about Brayle?
He bets two dollars that the enemy will drop Brayle before he reaches a ditch, highlighting how Brayle's recklessness has become a grim spectacle.