In “How to Tell a True War Story,” Tim O’Brien claims that the telling of a true war story is not about war itself, but about storytelling, illustrating the relationship between the reader and the storyteller, and the struggle the storyteller has in communicating the truth for readers to share in the experience. His intended audience is war veterans and storytellers. O’Brien uses narratives and commentary to provide examples about how to identify and tell a true war story. For example, O’Brien tells the story of Curt Lemon’s death three times throughout the text. O’Brien adds different details to each story that contradicts themselves, causing readers to question if the story is true. O’Brien uses the vivid and emotional story of Lemon’s death