Laura Hillenbrand’s novel Unbroken, a biography about the thrilling life of Louis Zamperini, and now a major motion picture, continues to be read in high schools all over the country. It contains many dynamic characters, symbols, and themes. Out of all the great choices, this research paper focuses on the character changes of Francis McNamara, the symbolic nature of the sharks, and the theme of survival and resilience. Francis McNamara, the tail gunner of the B-24 nicknamed “Green Hornet”, was one of the three survivors of the plane crash in the Pacific Ocean. Mac after the first night on the water, panicked and ate all of the rations meant to feed the man until possible rescue (Hillenbrand, page number).
After World War II started, Louie joined the army and became known for being on multiple successful bombing runs with his friends, Mac and Phil. This story depicts the theme of how anyone can fall into bad times, but they can always pick themselves up again.
“On the Rainy River” The book, The Things They Carried, contains many extraordinarily written chapters including the chapter I personally believe to be the best, “On The Rainy River”. In this chapter, Tim O’Brien - who also happens to be the narrator of this book - gets a letter saying that he is being put into the draft and will soon ship off to the Vietnam War. Out of shock and fear, Tim plans to run away to Canada in order to dodge the draft. After hours of driving, he pulled into the Tip Top Lodge - an old fishing resort - to take a short break. Both the vivid imagery and deep internal conflict prevalent in this chapter are the two things that create this exceptionally written section.
His embarrassment causes him to enlist in the military and he ends up serving time in Vietnam. The novel touches on his experiences and bonds with his platoon while serving his time in Vietnam. Throughout the book, Myers shows a realistic depiction of war such as the graphic violence, the inner thoughts of a soldier, and how the platoon struggles to survive. Throughout the novel, Myers utilizes many different ways to portray the realistic depiction of war.
John Basilone’s life and private stories show a striking perspective of a dedicated military lifestyle. Throughout the novel, the reader experiences an idea of John’s childhood in Raritan, New Jersey, his distaste in school, his passion for fighting, and overall calling to the Marine Corps. John Basilone finds himself initially leading his career in the Army, later to find
The third story is concerned with an imaginary journey from Vietnam to Paris in pursuit of Cacciato, a soldier who is absent without leave. Key Themes: chaos in war, duty in war Journal entry #1: “‘No bridges,’ the lieutenant finally said… ‘I guess that’s one good thing. No bridges to burn behind me’” (O’Brien, 33)This quote is important and it marks the point at which the trip
Readers, especially those reading historical fiction, always crave to find believable stories and realistic characters. Tim O’Brien gives them this in “The Things They Carried.” Like war, people and their stories are often complex. This novel is a collection stories that include these complex characters and their in depth stories, both of which are essential when telling stories of the Vietnam War. Using techniques common to postmodern writers, literary techniques, and a collection of emotional truths, O’Brien helps readers understand a wide perspective from the war, which ultimately makes the fictional stories he tells more believable.
War and the experiences encountered within it create countless stories, both heroic and horrific. A few of these war stories are shared throughout the book, The Things they Carried, by Tim O’Brien. The men involved in these war stories respond to the uncertainty, fear, and death that surrounds them in their own distinct ways. During a time of war, the soldiers in combat respond to their stimulative surroundings through their own coping mechanisms.
If you had the opportunity, would you make a wish that you believed would modify your life for the better? What if you were advised that it wouldn’t end as well as you assumed? A book by W.W. Jacobs titled “The Monkey’s Paw”, entertains us with the story of a family who suffers the loss of their son after a wish is made on a monkey’s paw the family attained from a friend. Numerous examples from the text will justify that Sergeant Major Morris is the most responsible for the death of the family’s son, Herbert. The first example that shows Sergeant Major Morris is responsible for the death is found on page 34.
“ I knew mama loved me, but I also knew when I got back, she would expect me to be the same person, but it could never happen. She hadn’t been to Nam. She hadn't given the poncho to anybody to wrap a body in, or stepped over a dying kid” Richie is aware of the changes he has gone through while serving in the war. He understands that people will expect him to be the same guy he was when he left, but he accepts that he will have to adjust his way of life because of the things he faced and seen in
Science has proven that reading can provoke positive changes in us as human beings. Annie Murphy Paul is the author of the article ‘Your Brain on Fiction’ published on March 17, 2012. Annie explains how researchers have discovered that reading can initiate different parts of the brain, this is the reason why sometimes literature can make the reader so engaged and attached to a piece of writing. Research also explains how reading has the ability to produce activity in our brain’s motor cortex. Finally, Annie explains how reading fictional pieces can change how you interact with other individuals.
Using his past experiences as a soldier in Vietnam, O’Brien crafted a narrative that praises the ambiguous art of war-time storytelling and its power to shape the reader’s and/or listener’s perception of actuality. More so, the novel intentionally blends fact and fiction together to make the point that objective truth should retain very little relevance in the grand
Imagine being drafted to move thousands of miles away from the life you love to fight a war you hated. This is the unfortunate reality for Tim O’Brien In The Things They Carried. O’Brien explains his experiences of war in Vietnam, what it took to get him there, and his relationships with the other men in his platoon. He portrays guilt and pride through storytelling and intertwines the two by showing how the men often feel guilty for the actions they pursue or decisions they make based on their pride.
They take a road trip one summer and have experiences they can share for the rest of their lives. With the draft for the Vietnam war, Henry gets chosen to go. Lyman does not know what the trials of war will ultimately do to his brother. Upon his arrival home Henry is a different man. The things that he loved most in the world felt like nothing but objects now.
Literary analysis America’s war heroes all have the same stories to tell but different tales. Prescribed with the same coloring page to fill in, and use their methods and colors to bring the image to life. This is the writing style and tactic used by Tim O’Brien in his novel, “The Things They Carried”. Steven Kaplan’s short story criticism, The Undying Certainty of the Narrator in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, provides the audience with an understanding of O’Brien’s techniques used to share “true war” stories of the Vietnam War. Kaplan explains the multitude of stories shared in each of the individual characters, narration and concepts derived from their personal experiences while serving active combat duty during the Vietnam War,
