How Does Tim O Brien Tell The Story In The Lives Of The Dead

In Tim O’Brien’s “The Lives of the Dead”, no one can die; everyone can live on in stories. This short story is about how to keep people alive through stories. In the war Tim has to cope with an abundance of death; this reminds him of Linda, his first love’s death.

The guys in war with Tim would pretend the people never died telling jokes about the people who have died both the dead north Vietnamese and their fallen comrades. Tim however, brought them alive in his dreams or in his stories. Everyone wants some happiness in their life. ‘“At one point, I remember, they sat the body up against a fence."’

“They proposed toasts. They lifted their canteens and drank to the old man's family and ancestors, his many grandchildren, his newfound life

“And then in April he was shot in the head outside the village of Than Khe. Kiowa and I

‘"Hey, Lavender,"’ he said, ‘"how's the war today?"’

There was a short quiet.

‘"Mellow,"’ somebody said.

‘"Well, that's good,"’ Sanders murmured, ‘"that's real, real good. Stay cool now."’

‘"Hey, no sweat, I'm mellow."’

‘"Just ease on back, then. Don't need no pills. We got this incredible chopper on call, this once in a lifetime mind-trip."’

‘"Oh, yeah - mellow!"’(218-219).

Some people tell stories so they remember them. The guys in the war tell a story about Curt Lemon going trick-or-treating on Halloween, and he would be going door-to-door, dressed in paint. In all, people cope with death in many different ways; some make jokes, and some try to keep their spirit alive by telling stories about them by saying what that person used to say. Linda was so important to Timmy because she was his first experience with love, and his first experience with death: “Linda was nine then, as was I, but we were in love.

And it was real. When I write about her now, three decades later,... but I know for a fact that what we felt for each other was as deep and rich as love can ever get.”

“I just loved her”

Especially since he did not even know, at the time, that she had a brain tumor. He cried much after her death, and Linda would say “Timmy, stop crying” (224). “She died, of course. Nine years old and she died. It was a brain tumor. She lived through the summer and into the first part of September, and then she was dead.” ‘But in a story I can steal her soul…. Linda can smile and sit up…” (223-224). “She can reach out, touch my wrist, and say, ‘“Timmy, stop crying”’ (224). “I needed that kind of miracle. At some point I had come to understand that Linda was sick, maybe even dying, but I loved her and just couldn't accept it.” (224). In conclusion, Timmy reserved place in his heart for