Theodore Dreiser's KAR practice analysis

In this specific quote, the author is saying that war turns a man into a narcissistic character. The author writes that Lieutenant Brayle was “ Vain of his courage”. These words show that men can become so prideful and proud about themselves that they forget what their duties are as soldiers and as men. As a soldier you are supposed to support your unit and your men, but Lieutenant Brayle only cared about supporting himself and how he would be remembered after the war. This example mainly shows that Brayle has lost the idea of being honorable. Another example is when the author writes “ He did not once take cover except when sternly commanded to do so by the general”. This quote shows that men can become so prideful that they forget about listening to their commanders or leaders. This quote also shows that Lieutenant Brayle thought that his authority was higher than that of the commander because of his actions in the field. Also, the author writes the words “ Hideous encounters” in line four of the paragraph also shows that war can change a man into a narcissistic character. These words show that by being a narcissistic character, he has lost the trust of his troops.