On The Rainy River. Analysis Essay

The absolutely story On the Rainy River is an integral chapter in the archives The Things They Carried indite by William Timothy OBrien. The short story is written through the perspective of OBrien in present day and as a young sm in all-arm faced with a draft reveal for the Vietnam War. In On the Rainy River, OBrien portrays the immensity of bravery of individuals in the monastic order through the practice of symbolisation, powerful footmark, hypothesiseive allude of fascinate, biography devices, and through the reoccurring theme of courage. In the short story, OBrien uses symbolism to thread the religious aspect of the Rainy River, a watercourse which segregates the land of manganese and Canada, a divide that tested OBriens bravery to all enlist in or flee the Vietnam War. OBrien states that the Rainy River . . . scattered one sustenance from a nonher . . . the cold sprayed against his face . . . as they . . . passed into Canadian waters, crosswise that dotted lin e surrounded by two different worlds . . . (1012). The Rainy River symbolizes the metempsychosis of OBrien into a new world water epitomizes the purity and permutation of a new identity.This symbol adds gigantic significance to the anecdote because it portrays the man vs. self-conflict of OBrien he has to choose a life of cultisming the U.S government in emigration, or a life of hostility and bloodshed in a struggle that he does non support. The authors use of symbolism rents the proofreader to construe the variation in OBriens point of slew as he flees to the land of Canada to evade the drafting that in veneration, he gains the courage and strength to product to the U.S and face the inevitable war. Susan Farrell communicates in The Vietnam in Me that even though the young narrator believed the war was moralisticly wrong, he was unable to defy the traditions and expectations he had been raised with he was timid of what people would verify about him should he flee the draft, and he could not . . . leave arsehole everything he knew and loved. The narrator considers that he is reared to take responsibility and is expected of his family and the society to do the right thing join the war even though he does not support the involvement, OBrien notions bosomd by the misgiving of overawe and embarrassment of not enlisting.Although the symbolism of the story reflects the authors self-conflict, tone also enhances the significance of the termination he has to make. OBrien&nbspcreates the tone of fear in the short story he reflects on his cowardice and dreads the deal of his life if he were caught. OBrien expresses that there are instances in which he is overwhelmed by fear He stays up at wickedness envisaging being chased by the border patrol and helicopters he excrete while envisioning himself fleeing through the woods and being thrown to the stain by police. He feels dizzy with sorrow, guilt, and regret for parting the country and not enlisti ng into the war he is troubled by the lack of rest period and the sickness that consumes him. (1009) The tone is created by the characters someoneal perceptions towards his life decisivenesss and his dread upon the events that are foreseeable.The tone deepens the signification of courage because it allows for a look on what could have contributed to the fear and how the characters courage would eventually overcome it. The tone of fear supplemented to the importance of OBriens decision to escape the Vietnam War he is acting out of fearhe, was no soldier . . . he hated dirt . . . and mosquitos . . . the sight of blood made him queasy, and he . . . didnt know a rifle from a slingshot. (OBrien 1003). Bobbie Ann Mason observes that, the litany reifies the sense of intentness the men experienced eonian conditions, constant fear and apprehension, constant movement, and constant burdens (Mason). Mason realises that the narrators use of a long and insistent list of complaints and p roblems enables the reader to perceive the burden that he feels. The tone presented in this story allows for depth and apprehension that heightens the anxiety for future events.The point of view in the short story is presented in first person by development first person narration, the author is enabled to express his immanent emotion throughout the story. OBrien perceives that certain blood was being shed for uncertain reasons he adage no unity of pattern, no consensus on matters of philosophy or fib or law . . . facts were shrouded in uncertainty . . . was it a civil war , a war of national liberation or simple aggressiveness (1002). OBrien expresses his personal views on the war there is no purpose for it to occur or for him to engage in the battle. Tegmark states in The Perspectives of Other Characters that there is congeneric importance . . . of the perspective of . . . Tim OBrien as the assistant . . . and that of what I call primary&nbspnarration in . . .The Things Th ey Carried. . . OBrien functions as a focalizer, constituting the main perspective from which the reader perceives the story. Tim OBrien is the protagonist and the primary narrator he is able to contribute to the story as the main perspective which allows him to provide memories and anecdotes, thus deepening the plot.The first person account gives the narrative credibility because the protagonist is telling the story he can recall historic events that relate to the occurrence or look on what may ensue next. The narrator experienced the emotional battle and retreat to Canada first-hand in turn, this interesting relationship gives the reader a turn to account of the topic. OBrien writes that he felt something break open in his chest of drawers . . . but it was current, he knows that much, it was a physical rupture- a cracking-leaking-popping nip (1006). OBrien speaks directly to the reader presenting the reader an emotional perception. His narration provides a contemplative and insightful joint while relating events that have happened he describes what is guideed from the experience and how it has affected his life. The use of flashbacks is prominent throughout the short story OBrien switches in the midst of the past and present tense throughout the story to narrate his memoir.By using flashbacks, shifts and reflective moments are created. OBrien states that he remembers that when walking out of his digest in the year 1968 to leave for Canada, he carefully observed all of his familiar possessions that he would leave behind, including his life (1006). This scene reveals the use of flashback and enhances the meaning of his separation from the life he had known he feels expressively accustomed to his home country. This man vs. self-conflict of whether to stay or go lingers when he sees the plate toaster, the telephone, and the bright sunshine that sparkled in the room. OBrien uses recollections throughout the story to incorporate former events that con tribute meaning and sentiment. Susan Farrell states that the short story alternates between present-day narration and the scenes that take manoeuvre during 1968 . . . the flashbacks . . . explain how OBrien arrived at his present circumstances.The author uses flashbacks throughout the story to allow the reader to visualize the shifts in his voice and the change in his views between the past and the present. OBrien creates humiliate towards the protagonist by expressing the hardships of his decision of divergence his life&nbspin the United States for a life of hiding in Canada. OBrien mentions remembering . . . self-pity . . . driving aimlessly around town . . . feeling sorry for himself . . . paralyzed . . . feeling guilt and sorrow (1003-4). OBrien references his emotional pressure to gain the readers sympathy by stating and so he sat in the remit of the boat and cried . . . it was loud now . . . loud, hard crying (1016). He provides his audition the capability to commiserate by giving the reader a view into his distressed core.Werlock states that OBrien was . . . faced with a choice and imagining a host of people, real and imaginary, on both shorings encouraging him one way or the other, the fear of degrade holds him back from jumping overboard and swimming to Canada . . . OBrien cries in the boat over his future . . . The reader sympathizes with the protagonist because he is afraid of what people might think of him the reader is placed in his habilitate and realizes that OBrien is in a painful position.OBrien presents the themes of courage and cowardice throughout the short story. OBrien states that it was a kind of schizophrenia . . . a moral split . . . he couldnt make up his mind . . . he feared the war . . . exile . . . walking away from his whole history. . . losing the respect of his parents . . . the law. . . ridicule and censure (1005). blossoming states that when the narrator writes, This is one story Ive never told originally, it suggest s that readers come to learn that the narrators reluctance may stem from what he perceives as revealing weakness his emotional breakdown, his lack of courage actually to desert, and a fear of his family and friends learning of his weakness. OBrien portrays the theme of courage and cowardice to reflect on his decision to either enter or flee the Vietnam War.He was split between choosing a life of war or fear. Because of his fear of shame and humiliation of his friends and family, cowardice consumes him and he is unable to will himself crossways the Rainy River into Canada. His cowardice is a vital part of the story because it conjures internal conflict, hallucinations, fear, pathos, and emotion throughout the story. The theme of shame is existent throughout the short story. In the beginning of the narrative, OBrien reveals that he has never told this story before because of the shame and embarrassment that he would have felt if he had. OBrien states what it came down to, stupidly, w as a&nbspsense of shame , hot, stupid shame . . . he was shamefaced of his conscience . . . of doing the right thing (1009-10). OBrien dreads the indignity and humiliation of his friends, family, and people of great importance if he does not enlist into the warHe states that when he visualizes people of relativity and of importance on the sides of the river urging him toward one shore or the other he feels himself redden. He could not risk the disdain, ignominy, or derision and that he would go to war because he was ashamed not to. (1016) Werlock avers that when Berdahl takes OBrien fishing on the Rainy River, . . . he is confronted with the decision between one life or the other . . . the fear of shame holds him back. The importance of the role of shame develops throughout the story it is the motivating factor that prevents OBrien from leaving to Canada. Shame held him back because he did not want his family to feel that he was a raised to become a coward. The author uses shame to enhance the emotional depth of the story the shame compels the reader to recognize the struggle of his situation.In the end, OBrien overcomes the barrier of shame and acquires the courage to return to the United States to fight in the Vietnam War. In the short story On the Rainy River, William Timothy OBrien explores the importance of courage and shame when he evades his draft notice for the Vietnam War by fleeing to Canada. Throughout the story, the reader gains a sense of emotional perspective for what draftees distress and anticipate through OBriens use of symbolism, tone, point of view, flashback, and the themes of courage and shame. OBriens decision to be reborn into a new world is reflectively symbolized by the Rainy River and a penetrating tone of fear provides apprehension and edginess upon the reader. The use of the first person point of view and the narrative devices of flashbacks and pathos allows OBrien to recall the past and to provide emotion. OBrien overcomes his fe ar of shame which ultimately enables him to gain his courage and fight in the Vietnam War.Works Cited gush, Harold, ed. The Things They Carried. The Things They Carried, Blooms Guides. Philadelphia Chelsea House print, 2004. Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. Farrell, Susan. OBrien, Tim. Critical Companion to Tim OBrien A Literary computer address toHis feeling and Work, Critical Companion. New York Facts On File, Inc., 2011. Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 28 Sept. 2014 Farrell, Susan. The Vietnam in Me. Critical Companion to Tim OBrien A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York Facts On File, Inc., 2011. Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. OBrien, Tim. On The Rainy River. Literature Grade 10. Ed. Janet Allen. Evanston Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2010. 999-1016. Print. Tegmark, Mats. The Perspectives of Other Characters. In the Shoes of a Soldier Communication in Tim OBriens Vietnam Narratives (Uppsala University, 1998) pp. 24571. Quoted as The Perspectives of Other Characters in Bloom, Harold, ed. The Things They Carried, Blooms Modern Critical Interpretations. New York Chelsea House Publishing, 2011. Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. Werlock, Abby H. P. On the Rainy River. The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York Facts On File, Inc., 2009.Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 27 Sept. 2014.