TTTC Essay

Vietnam in the form of stories that change the reader’s outlook on a variety of topics. One Of O’Brien chapters, “How to Tell a True War Story” truly exemplifies his role as a storyteller in the unique way he retells each of his stories. O’Brien alters his style with each recount to emphasize the different ways a story can affect a reader. Through his specific style of storytelling, O’Brien is able to describe his different experiences of Vietnam while explaining his perspective of the human situation.
O’Brien alternation between narrating a story and commenting on its exceptive effects explicitly expresses his role as a storyteller in this chapter. In doing this, he is also able to point out the influence it had on his view of human disposition and the true nature of war. He explains the traits of a true war story while giving examples of his own. His strategy of retelling a war story with multiple different approaches emphasizes the power of his storyteller position.
He claims that ‘A true war story is never to depict his recount of the incident in a specific way, thus characterizing one of his many experiences . Just like most soldiers after war find a way to cope with their sufferings, O Brine relays his own experiences by stating that “In any war story, but especially a true one, it’s difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen”(63). This chapter is unique in the sense that it takes the minutiae of a certain war memory, twists it to invoke certain emotions, and stimulates a reaction in the reader.

Throughout the chapter he illustrates how incredibly the meaning and the effect of a story can change with the smallest adjustment to details . The different ways that O’Brien tells a story help us realize the power of his practice. O’Brien analyses of true war stories, followed by his real life account strike the reader in the heart and change their view of the war as a whole. Brine’s storytelling is a powerful medium through which he expresses his thoughts on the war.
Aside from relaying the incidents during the war, O’Brien also aims to point out his observations Of human nature relating to war. Whether we realize it or not, war has a large influence in all of our lives – O’Brien aims to bring out hose realizations through his storytelling. During this chapter O’Brien repeatedly shares the many characteristics of a true war story. He describes many different traits such as: a true war story “never seems to or “a true war story cannot be believed “(64). Then O’Brien gives an example of how that certain trait rings true in a story of his own.
The effect produced is eye opening and causes the reader to adapt the same mindset that O’Brien takes towards his revelations. With his continued explanations of why war stories are so complex, O’Brien moves into the realm of legacies. His vivid description of Curt Lemon’s Death is a poignant reminder of the gruesome and tragic, yet sudden end to a great man’s life. Even though Lemon perished in the snap of a finger, O’Brien urges us to realize that his creative style of storytelling keeps Curt Lemon alive.
Just like Ted Lavender and Kiowa, Curt Lemon left behind a legacy that lived among the memories of the soldiers. This is how O’Brien is able to keep him alive along with all of the others who he does not want to let go of. This novel can be viewed as simply a novel that describes a war experience room the point of a soldier; however, the way it’s portrayed makes it much more. Not only does O’Brien express what it was like to be in the Vietnam war, but also he gives us a deep analysis of our race in relation to common struggles among us.
Often when a soldier has a hard time coping with their return, it is because he or she does not feel like they belong. It’s as if no one believes what they say is true because of how terrible it sounds. O’Brien explains that if “somebody tells a story, let’s say, and afterward you ask, ‘Is is true? ‘ [then] if the answer matters, you’ve got your There are any people who are ignorant to the lengths that soldiers go to for protecting this country, and when those people fail to appreciate those actions, it is heartbreaking.
When O’Brien says that “if the answer matters, you’ve got your answer he is emphasizing the point that all war stories can be true even if they never actually happened. The experience Of war as a whole is so unbelievable that any story is true in some sense if it helps the reader understand what the narrator went through. His depiction of war is gruesome to say the least, but it explains to us how war impacts a man. He also expresses the importance off legacy like those of Curt lemon’s, Kiosk’s, and Ted Lavender’s.
O’Brien has the potential to be scarred for life from these death incidents; however, he uses the power of his stories as a coping mechanism, and in turn is able to keep the souls of his comrades alive. He does this with Timmy preserve his innocence, and in the same way, he does this to his friends to aid the hurt the war has caused him. All in all, O’Brien strategy of storytelling achieves the multiple goals intended: to portray his tragic war experiences, to explain the human notation in relation to the war, and to portray the strength of a legacy preserved in a Story.