War and Peace, Book 14: 1812, Chapter 11 summary

What happens

1. As the detachment prepares for a dawn attack, Pétya begs for a mission, but Denísov orders him to obey and avoid pushing forward.
2. A signal shot starts the assault, and Pétya gallops ahead despite Denísov’s shouted warning.
3. Pétya reaches a defended courtyard and charges into the gunfire instead of following Dólokhov’s call to wait for infantry.
4. A bullet pierces Pétya’s skull, and he falls from his horse as the French surrender.
5. Dólokhov declares Pétya dead, while Denísov handles the body and makes a cry of grief.
6. Pierre Bezúkhov is identified among the rescued Russian prisoners.

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What to notice

The blunt statement ends Pétya’s excited experience of the charge. It establishes the fatal cost of his rush into the gunfire.

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