How To Tell A True War Story Analysis

In the short story, “How to Tell a True War Story,” by Tim O’Brien, the short story depicts how a soldier 's story can change to better entertain the listener and hold their attention. Small aspects of the story they tell may change each time in order to make the story mesmerizing enough to make the listener want to hear the story, although it may be slightly inexact compared to what really may have happened. The stories viewpoint from the soldier can be depicted in a variety of ways, depending upon what emotion the teller is remembering and partaking in when they interpret the story. There are a number of critics who have argued a similar point about O’Brien’s literary work. Upon researching, “How to Tell a True War Story,” I have learned

She states, “On one hand, O’Brien is asking how a listener can distinguish whether a story is a factual retelling of events; on the other he outlines “how to tell” a way story.” (Web. King.) The pun within the title is arguing whether O’Brien is going to teach the reader how to determine if the story is true, or better inform the reader on how to narrate the war story well. King describes how the reader is absorbed into the story as if they are the one person telling the story while O’Brien pushes the reader into understanding if the story is fact or fiction. Within his essay O’Brien uses three narrative to better establish what the definition of the word true is, Curt Lemons death narrated by Mitchell Sanders, the description that the narrator tells after hearing Sander’s story, and O’Brien perception and commentary on how to tell a true war story. One example that stuck out used by King was the quote from the essay when the author says, “I’ll picture Rat Kiley’s face, his grief,” as if to suggest that O’Brien was there when Curt Lemon died. (Page 355. O’Brien.) In King’s criticism there is one particular statement that she makes that brings light to the narrative as a whole and the meaning within the title, and the subtle comments that O’Brien leaves to push for the readers understanding. “The line between fact and fiction in a true war

She quotes another critics standpoint about feminism with the essay, Lorrie Smith. Smith supports the use of gender roles by pointing out the quote, “the things men do.” (Page 350. O’Brien.) Feminism can been recognized with Curt Lemon’s sister, when she does not write Rat back after he sends her what he believes to be a beautiful letter. Because she is a woman, it is thought that should could not possibly understand the struggles of war. Feminism is also pointed out after the narrator tells the story of Rat saving the baby water buffalo only to shut it meaninglessly with intent on letting it suffer, at this the old woman who asks if the story is true cry. (Page 352-353. O’Brien.) O’Brien hints that those who are back home and have no experience of war could not possibly imagine the beautiful and grotesque details of war that men who have experience it can. “War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War makes you a man; war makes you dead.” (Page 353. O’Brien.) A person is never ready for the experiences they will have during war, but in some deep sense war makes a man a man, and leaves the unexperienced clueless to what they missed. At times it can even leave the experienced lost as to what is truth and what is reality. “The pictures get jumbled; you tend to miss a lot.” (Page 348. O’Brien.) It is not necessarily that the facts are incorrect but to the point of view of