SUMMARY
The story written by Tim O’Brien On The Rainy River, is about a young man that receives a draft from the army. He hates the thought of war and thinks he is too good for it. He is pressured to serve in the war from his peers and parents. He does not want to disappoint them, but he is afraid of death.
He tries to run to Canada to avoid being deported and stays at a lodge that is owned by an old man. They spent a lot of quiet time together and that brought him to realize that he cannot live with the guilt of not doing what was expected from him. He went back home and went to the war.
ANALYSIS
In Tim O’Brien’s’ On The Rainy River, a young man is terrified of a life change after receiving a draft for the Vietnam war. He was emotionally sick with confusion because he does not believe in the politics that stand behind the war, “Certain blood was being shed for uncertain reasons“ (O‘Brien 40) . If he chose to join the army he could die and unwillingly live a life of blood shed; or he could hide away from it and live in shame and embarrassment. After a few days of debate he chooses to go on to the war which is for the best. He would of never been able to live a normal life, “ I was afraid of walking away from my own life, my friends and my family, my whole history, everything that mattered to me” (O’ Brien 44-45). Even though he hated the thought of war he went because he was insecure with being a failure.
Work Cited
O’ Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Mariner Books, 1990. Print.
I am against the war and found this web site.
http://www.draftresistance.org/
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