In “The Man I Killed” O’Brien’s guilt has him so fixated on the life of his victim that his own presence in the story—as protagonist and narrator—fades to the back. ... His guilt almost takes on its own rhythm in the repetition of ideas, phrases, and observations.
What does O’Brien view as the role of stories in remembering those who have died?
O’Brien explains that stories can bring the dead back to life through the act of remembering . He describes the first dead body he saw in Vietnam, that of an old Vietnamese man. Others in the platoon spoke to the corpse in a mildly mocking way, but O’Brien could not even go near the body.
What is the significance of the dead young Vietnamese soldier How does he impact O Brien?
In the chapter “The Man I Killed,” O’Brien imagines the dead young Vietnamese soldier’s personal story, symbolizing that although readers never learn much about him, this young man was a human being with a history, a family, hopes, and fears , just like anyone else.
What is the symbolic importance of the man Tim O’Brien killed?
Although O’Brien is unclear about whether or not he actually threw a grenade and killed a man outside My Khe, his memory of the man’s corpse is strong and recurring, symbolizing humanity’s guilt over war’s horrible acts .
What is O’Brien unable to do after he kills the Vietnamese man?
Despite the passing of time, twenty years, O’Brien is unable to forget or let go of the young Vietnamese solider he killed . Something that is clear to the reader by way of the fact that O’Brien can still remember staring at the man for so long and noticing each detail on his body.
Why does O’Brien say he still writes about the war?
‘ ” Following this, O’Brien relates two possible scenarios of the death described in “The Man I Killed” to explain “This is why I keep writing war stories.” In your opinion, why does O’Brien keep writing war stories? He keeps writing them because he needs to tell somebody what happened.
Why does O’Brien speculate about the life of the man he killed?
O’Brien describes a Viet Cong soldier whom he has killed, using meticulous physical detail, including descriptions of his wounds. Then O’Brien imagines the life story of this man and imagines that he was a scholar who felt an obligation to defend his village.
Why does O’Brien use storytelling?
O’Brien thinks about how he has made the transition from Vietnam to the world after. He has done this by telling stories, which he likens to clearing the throat. Storytelling enables him to clarify and make sense of his experiences, objectifying them and separating them from himself .
What does Tim O’Brien say about stories?
“ Stories are for joining the past to the future . Stories are for those late hours in the night when you can’t remember how you got from where you were to where you are. Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story.”
Why does O’Brien choose to end the novel with a look at Linda’s death?
The novel begins with the latest death (Lavender’s), and it ends with the first significant death from O’Brien’s childhood (Linda). The point of ending the stories with a focus on Linda is to bring the concepts of storytelling, memory, and death full circle .
How does Tim O’Brien use symbolism?
Overview of Symbols
O’Brien primarily uses symbols to convey the psychological effects of the Vietnam War , as well as the soldiers’ loss of innocence.
What is O Brien’s emotional response to the dead man?
What is Tim O’Brien’s emotional response to the dead man? He’s in shock and can’t look away.
What is the symbolism in ambush by Tim O Brien?
In Ambush by Tim O’Brien we have the theme of honesty, regret, forgiveness, acceptance and conflict . Taken from his The Things They Carried collection the story is narrated in the first person by O’Brien himself and after reading the story the reader realises that O’Brien may be exploring the theme of honesty.
What is a rigged mortar round?
rigged mortar round A short-range weapon that fires a shell on a high trajectory . ... rigged mortar round A short-range weapon that fires a shell on a high trajectory. “How to Tell a True War Story” cooze A derogatory name for a woman.
Why does Norman Bowker feel guilty?
Norman is overwhelmed by guilt at the death of his friend Kiowa , whom he is convinced he could have saved. He yearns to talk to someone about this. He writes to the author, Tim, and tries to get his story published, but when Tim writes it he leaves out the most important parts.
What happens when you send guys to war?
What happens when you “send guys to war”? They come home talking dirty . What were Curt Lemon and Rat Kiley doing when Curt stepped on the land mine? They were playing catch with smoke grenades.
