Summary Of How To Tell A True War Story By Tim O Brien

Tim O’Brien discusses the characteristics of a true war story and how to distinguish a true story from the fake or made-up one in his essay, “How to Tell a True War Story.” He criticizes many aspects of storytelling and mentions the behavior of a true story. In addition to O’Brien’s theory on how to distinguish true vs false, Malcolm Gladwell also helps in differentiating the two by discussing the story about Bernie Goetz in his essay “The Power of Context.” Both the authors point out the main characteristics that needs to be noted in order to understand the difference between fact/ truth and belief/ cooked up story. Though O’Brien is very open about his arguments, Gladwell’s arguments are invisible to audience because he does not openly state

Facts and beliefs are often misunderstood by people because sometimes facts can be seen as beliefs and vice versa. However, there is an easy way to differentiate between them. In order to determine whether a statement or a story is based upon facts, derive the true meaning in the story because facts tend on not to teach anything as they are just statements that describe what actually happened. So if it does teaches one how to act, encourages one, discourages one, or sets examples on how to live, it is probably a belief. Beliefs are different from one person to another and therefore if a statement or a story teaches and emphasizes instructions it is probably a belief. Like O’Brien states, “a true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men form doing the things men have always done” (O’Brien 316). He explains the different characteristics to look out for when differentiating between fact and lie. Understanding the difference between fact and lie can make a huge difference because it can save someone’s life. Like in Gladwell’s essay, if one was to believe that Goetz is the

Though there can be beliefs in facts, having facts in beliefs is a little imaginary, because beliefs differ from people to people and has to consistency while facts are clear and solid statements that are made after gathering enough evidence and extensive research on that subject. According to O’Brien’s theory of a true or factious story, if a story or statement has several points that can be argued and do not teach something it can be considered as a fact otherwise as a mere belief. So since Gladwell’s story about Goetz and the four teenage boys fulfills all three requirements of O’Brien’s theory it can be concluded that Gladwell’s story is true and factious however, at some points the story within, Goetz’s story, has beliefs. Therefore proving that facts can have few beliefs that enhance the story. Having facts in beliefs is imaginary because since beliefs change from a person to person, it depends on a person on what aspect of story they want to believe on. Such as the people who gathered around for Goetz did not want to believe that he is a criminal even though that was a fact. They wanted to believe that he is a hero,