Why did Obrien decide to go to war?

Why does O’Brien decide to go to war? He believes in the cause. He’s too embarrassed not to. He doesn’t want to go to jail.

Why has the writer never told his story about the Rainy River before?

Why has the writer never told his story about the Rainy River before? He is ashamed of how he behaved. He doesn’t want other people to feel like he is bragging about himself.

What is the main theme of On the Rainy River?

A short story from that collection, called ‘On the Rainy River,’ gives us the backstory on how Tim, our protagonist, became one of those soldiers. Major themes of this story include the Vietnam War, courage, right and wrong, and memory and truth.

What reason does the narrator cite for the choice he ultimately makes about the war?

Why does the narrator ultimately choose to go to war? He realizes he loves his country and wants to fight for it.

What does the Rainy River symbolize?

In The Things They Carried, the Rainy River symbolizes the division between two potential futures, one where Tim is safe but separated from everyone… See full answer below.

Why does Tim consider himself a coward?

The narrator of The Things They Carried considers himself a coward because he went to Vietnam. He fought in the war.

What does on the Rainy River symbolize?

In the book The Things They Carried, the author Tim O’Brien uses conflict and symbolism to show the central idea that sometimes people can fail to be brave enough. O’Brien shows this central idea throughout the whole book and especially during the chapter “The Lives of the Dead”.

What is the irony in on the Rainy River?

The irony within this story is the fact that despite his best efforts to avoid entering the Vietnam War, O’Brien is still forced into entering the war at the end of the story.

What does the pig factory symbolize in on the Rainy River?

Answers 1. His job as a pig declotter symbolizes the slaughter he’s going to be committing in Vietnam in the near future. This information contributes to the story because it’s foreshadowing the war and Tim’s part in it.

What does the author mean when he says the man knew?

What does the author mean when he says, “The man knew” (54). He means that Elroy Berdahl knew that O’Brien was running from something and did not know where he was going and how he would end up getting there.

Who are the three narrators in The Things They Carried?

O’Brien is the most complex character in the novel, particularly so because we see him at three different stages of development. O’Brien the writer/narrator, “O’Brien” the soldier, and Timmy O’Brien the young boy all possess different thoughts and emotional understandings, each of which are in tension with the others.

What does Elroy Berdahl symbolize?

O’Brien uses Elroy to show that many Americans were dubious of the war’s necessity and benefit. He also serves as a reminder of what a hero can look like to Tim, a quiet but strong man who allows others to make important choices for themselves.

What does the water gun symbolize in on the Rainy River?

His job was to shoot with a water gun, the blood clot that forms near the neck of a slaughtered hog after it has been split open and turned upside to drain out the blood. This is symbol for either the dilemma that Tim faced in the summer of 1968 or the War itself.

Why does Lees death relieve Dave of an enormous weight?

He died in a helicopter. Why was Jensen relieved of “an enormous” weight” when he learned that Strunk had died? He felt some guilt that he did not fulfill the pact, but it no longer mattered because Strunk died anyway; Jensen felt relieved when Strunk died because he wouldn’t have to face Strunk again.

Why is there an unnamed character in the the story in the field?

Finally, there is the young soldier who is not named. He has no name because he is no one in particular, just any soldier who could have made a simple mistake and caused his own or someone else’s death. He is, of course, filled with guilt and sees Kiowa’s death as his personal fault, just as Cross does.