Analysis Of If I Die In A Combat Zone By Tim O Brien

In If I Die In A Combat Zone, author Tim O’Brien argued that the Vietnam War was immoral through the evil it placed on others lives, how poorly justified it was, and how the war desensitized the soldiers to death. Although Tim O’Brien came from a background of parents who fought in the Navy and were active in war, he was a protestor of the Vietnam war along with any war that had no good cause behind it. He was being drafted into a war that he didn’t want to take any part in. To O’Brien, the war was plain evil in every shape or form. At one point he discussed his personal feelings about the war and stated how much he had been persuaded and remained persuaded that the war was and will always be “evil” in his eyes (pg. 18). Before he’s officially in Vietnam, O’Brien meets with the military chaplain on base at

Both men have their opinions on what they believe as far as the war goes and during their discussion, O’Brien is very blunt with his words. He tells Edwards exactly how he feels and how he believes that, “a man cannot be fully a man until he acts in the pursuit of goodness” (pg. 56). The goodness he was referring to, was the idea of knowing right from wrong, in this case, wrong being the violence towards one another in war and right being the act of choosing not to settle with the injustice of war. Edwards responded by telling O’Brien that he completely disagrees with his thoughts on the war and reminded him to fix his act because he was now a soldier who had a responsibility of doing what his country says (pg. 57). He then goes on to tell Edwards about the studies and research he had previously done pertaining to the Vietnam war which involved evidence about the evil history in the death and pain of Vietnam under the rule of Ho Chi Minh. He doesn’t have intentions on arguing with Edwards, he simply wants to ask for some advice. O’Brien asked him, “If I truly believe that the war