Bullet In The Brain Analysis

Tobias Wolff’s Bullets in the Brain and Timmy Reed’s Birds and Other Things We placed In Our Hearts has similarities and differences. Bullets in the Brain first appeared in The New Yorker on Sept 25, 1995 while Birds and Other Things We placed In Our Hearts is publish in a web journal Necessary Fiction on January 2014. The two stories have a theme that discuss about respect - respect for individuality and respect for person’s unlikeable traits. In Reed’s story, the lead character learns to respect and accept his love despite the fact that they have different hearts. He learns to accept her even though he knows that she would never be satisfied. In Wolff’s story, he emphasizes the importance of giving respect when he enumerates the memories

Reed used countless symbolism in his story to convey his message. On the other hand, Wolff barely used symbolism on his story. Wolff carefully manipulated the plot leaving the reader in an intense suspense with Anders being shot in the head. Each events in Wolf’s story relate to each other. There are five elements in a plot; exposition,conflict,climax,falling action and conflict resolution. Exposition is when the author introduces the lead character. Wolff describes Anders with his unlikable characteristics.In the bank where the line is endless, he is stuck with two loud women. When the teller puts the sign “position Closed” on her window, two women complains. In response Anders sarcastically ridicules them. Conflict is when the events begins to get complicated. Moments later, two men wearing ski masks and blue business suits burst in with guns in their hands. One of them is holding a guard with a pistol pressed against his neck. Anders reaction towards the robbers is the interesting portion of the story. He acts in a peculiar way and talks to the robbers in casual way.He acts as if he never cares to die. Main tension arises when the robbers has conversation with Anders and put the gun on his head trying to scare him, he told to Anders, Fuck with me again, you’re history, Capiche?”(3) Even when the gun is pointed to his head, he manages to scrutinize the painter’s work in the domed ceiling of the bank. Followed by

In his story, he develops the plot gradually. The beginning of the story starts off with symbolism and metaphorical language. He carefully chose his words and intend the reader to read lines symbolically.He uses a bird to represent their feelings and thoughts. Example is when the lead character uttered that he filled his heart with “macaw” that squawked out of his throat, “liar”. (4) He uses countless metaphor, “Some people just filled their hearts with rocks.” (4) On his exposition, he describes the lead character as an empty man. His love is described as a woman with a heart that will never be contented or satisfied in life. The conflict of the story is when the lead character expresses that his love is not contented or satisfied in life. He pretended to conform with his love however he realize that he couldn’t pretend anymore. He is disappointed to the fact that he tried everything to make her contented still did not work. The climax of the story is when they had a fight and his love left her. The falling action is when he accepts the fact that he could not fill her heart in a way that would please her. (4) The tone of sadness flows in the story when he spend plenty of time alone in the attic of their house. Reed’s distinct style of writing leave out a message to the reader that each person is different. The lead character comes to realization that each person has different priorities in life and the least he can do is to