In the short story "*On the Rainy River*," the inner conflict of the protagonist poignantly reveals one of the basic, hitherto unresolved conflicts between individuality and conformity. This story is set in a background where the Vietnam War was going on—the period when societal pressure became a burning issue and morality was questionable. The trip that O'Brien makes to the Rainy River is a metaphorical battlefield, in that his dilemma between the expectation of society to be sent to this war and his credentials against it, or the result of his college, has set a difficult dilemma against his conscience. Such a battle is universal in being able to touch readers at such a deep level and so powerful in the way it delves into what has to be paid …show more content…
It created a larger backdrop against which the author could flesh out all of these themes. It was mirrored between the lines of regional portrayals of all of society's conflict and division manifested in the telling of the Vietnam War. Therefore, O'Brien's personal conflict becomes a microcosm of greater societal tensions. Overall, *On the Rainy River* is a very deep exploration of the tensions between individuality and conformity. The story provides a poignant illustration of O'Brien's journey of the strong power of influence that societal expectations hold and the deep inner conflicts they can create. It's a poignant narrative in terms of the great courage that it can require in a world asking for very close conformity in a consensus-oriented society. O'Brien embodies the universal struggle to maintain a balance between personal beliefs and societal expectations, a conflict that has stood the test of time as a result of its resounding effect upon readers. The lasting effect of the story becomes evident in its capacity to draw human introspection to promote reflexive thought on personal battles with conformity versus individuality, and through those choices, "the act of becoming who actually we are.
When examining On the Rainy River by Tim O’Brien from a reader-response perspective it becomes clear that contrary to popular belief courage does not come from engaging yourself in dangerous situations, it comes from not letting anyone come between you and your morals and beliefs. O’Brien found peace when he fled, and he felt miserable, like a coward when he caved in and went to war. Through careful analysis, my mind interprets the text in a way that shows how you are not brave for doing what you
individual’s life, which is shown in the short story On the Rainy River, by Tim O’Brien. Tim imagines himself in both situations: one of which is when he leaves to go to war and one in which Tim considers not going to war and moving to Canada. These thoughts of an uncertain
These standards often place men as the fighters, the reinforcement for civilization. Not all people believe in these ideals that are placed though, often putting their own beliefs before those of the collective. Tim O’Brien displays this conflict of interests through his story “On The Rainy River” which is a tale of his conscription into the Vietnam War and the internal battle of either facing fate or deserting. Emotional courage gives the strength to deal with separation, especially if it is an internal
others will often do things they are against because of the thought of being judged or ridiculed, so they aren't always capable of picking the right choice, but instead what the majority favors. This idea can be explored in the text “On The Rainy River” by Tim O'Brien after he is drafted for the war in which he wants to run away from, but is scared to do so because of others thoughts and what they'll think if he returns and the thought of that ends up
Tim O'Brien was conceived in 1946 in Austin, Minnesota. Tim's dad, William Timothy O'Brien, an insurance businessperson and his mom, Ava O'Brien, a primary teacher; Both of his folks were veterans. As a child O'Brien invested time perusing in the county library, figuring out how to perform magic tricks, and play baseball. O'Brien went to Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota where he contemplated political science. When he graduated in 1968, he was planning to join the State Development as
and what the individual desires. In his short story, On The Rainy River, Tim O’Brien depicts his life-changing journey in
Vietnam and how they all suffered physical and emotional ailments. Just like my family, Tim O’Brien describes the soldiers’ suffering in The Things They Carried. The Protagonist, Tim O’Brien, remembers the past and continuously works the details of these memories of his service in Vietnam into meaning. Through a series of linked semi-autobiographical stories, O’Brien illuminates
The Rainy River is a watercourse between Minnesota and Canada which tested O’Brien’s bravery to either enlist in or flee the Vietnam War. O’Brien states that the “The Rainy River… separated one life from another.” He also states that, “...Canadian waters, across... dotted line between two different worlds.” When he was in the river, he sees “hallucination” of his family and friends which reminded him of “ the embarrassment” he felt for running away. The Rainy River symbolized the rebirth of O’Brien
courage? Is courage a feeling? Is courage a memory? Being a coward is one of the worst feelings experienced, that is why Tim O’Brien felt uneasy after he arrived back from the war. In the story “On the Rainy River”, by Tim O’Brien, O’Brien was to fight in the Vietnam war, he did not want to go to war as he did not throughly understand the reason for it. In “On the Rainy River”, by Tim O’Brien, O’Brien felt cowardly as he was hesitant of the causes and effects of the war, he could have escaped to Canada
In the story “On the Rainy River” by Tim O’Brien, imagery is created to support the author’s use of tone to show his perspectives on the idea and moral points of war. Tim used imagery in describing a pig factory, his experience on a shore, and time spent with a man named Elroy to create the overall tone of longing for clarity and despair in his story. All of these examples that create imagery are shown to the reader, which helps to express the author’s tone about his views and beliefs on war. To
Finally, Tim O’Brien conveys how society’s view on courage plays an important part in the creation of guilt for soldiers in the Vietnam War. At the start of “On the Rainy River”, Tim O’Brien is drafted to be in the Vietnam War against his will. O’Brien says, “I was drafted to fight a war I hated...the American War in Vietnam seemed to me wrong.,” (40). However, regardless if one was against the war, they were forced to anyway. In adhesion, society developed one stance on the war pertaining to courage
before they're allowed to be free...How many times can a man turn his head pretending he just doesn't see?” The lyrics of Blowin’ in the Wind strike the painful feeling when our dignity is smothered by unbearable fear. In the short story “On the Rainy River”, Tim O’Brien explores the idea that we cannot follow our heart in the face of terror. Through his experiences, O’Brien suggests that when our insecurity clashes with our self-respect, our moral conscience is often torn into pieces until we are left
pursue the journey of self-discovery to learn in depth about their skills and weaknesses. Individuals must find themselves through the limitations and ordeals that they face during their voyage for self-awareness. For example, in Tim O’Brien’s short story, “On the Rainy River”, the narrator shares his story about self-discovery. O’Brien looks back into his past, to the time when he was called to serve in the Vietnam War. O’Brien’s initial
Tim O’Brien is an accredited writer who writes mostly about war. Although, I can conclude that Tim O’ Brien is different from other war writers because he brings war stories to life. O’ Brien does not explain the strategies of the war, he describes the guys that he fought amongst in the war. His novel, “The Things They Carried” is an emotional retelling of the Vietnam War. He allows readers to experience the thoughts, feelings, and conflicts of the characters throughout the book. By allowing readers
Ready or Not There You Go A Critical Analysis of Tim O Brien’s “On the Rainy River” “On the Rainy River,” Short story by Tim O Brien, tells about his emotional experience inside a fourteen-foot boat, northbound of Minnesota, to the beautiful Canadian waters. O’Brien dissimulates to be strong on the boat, when he is trying to build enough strength to go to war, or escape from going to it and divest everything O’Brien once had. The narrator is stating that some situations limit our chance to make