# Harker Brayton — In the Midst of Life character guide

> Harker Brayton in In the Midst of Life by Ambrose Bierce.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Brayton

**First appearance:** 0049-the-man-and-the-snake

## Who they are

A wealthy, idle bachelor-scholar, fresh from remote travels, who wakes in a friend's eccentric San Francisco house to find a serpent coiled beneath his bed.

## In the story

### [A Son of the Gods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se/chapters/a-son-of-the-gods)

Not present in this chapter; no character named Brayton appears.

### [The Man and the Snake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se/chapters/the-man-and-the-snake)

The man who falls under the snake's hypnotic gaze and perishes.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se/chapters/i)

The protagonist, reading in his room, discovers a serpent under his bed.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se/chapters/ii)

A bachelor of thirty-five, scholar, idler, athlete, rich, popular, and of sound health; returns from travels and stays at Dr. Druring's house.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se/chapters/iii)

Confronts a snake in his room, struggles with fear and pride, and falls into a hallucinatory trance.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se/chapters/iv)

Found dead on the floor of his room, face daubed with blood and froth.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se/characters/harker_brayton
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/in_the_midst_of_life_se/characters