On the Rainy River story Analysis

On the rainy river is a story that shares some of Tim’s deepest secrets and one that he had not shared with anyone even with his family members. He shares some of the major events in his life during the summer period of 1968. At this era, Vietnam War was the main topic of discussion in all media outlets. However, his life took a drastic turn when he received a notice that he was expected to participate in the war. All along he had taken a modest stand of not engaging in war. This is because he strongly believed that engaging in war was of no use. He did not like the idea of going to war as he feared that it was against his moral stand. However, he knew that the only way for him to get out of this situation was through exiling himself even if it meant living without his family and friends.

This story meets the expected standard of a true war story as it occupies a space that is structurally and stylistically separate from the genre requirements and audience’s expectations. He narrates the story by sending it to a place that his audience cannot easily recognize. Throughout the book, he uses compelling motifs that make the story to seem true before the eyes of all of his audience.  A true story has more to do with sensuality than with narration. In this case, the story by O’Brien discerns to tell people of his embarrassments (Gale, 2016). He tells of his embarrassments in a truthful manner and thus meeting the expectations of a true war narration standard.

On the rainy river develops the theme of morality throughout the story. It illustrates O’Brien’s moral struggle on whether to go to war or not. However, a true war story is on no account moral. It often does not encourage virtue. It encourages men to do the things that they have always done without any restrictions. This story seems to be moral and thus it does not meet the expectation of a true war story. This is because a true war story has a complete and a rigid adherence to obscenity and evil.

The story, however, lacks the capacity to bring about new ways of reading and writing sensitively about a world that is important to the consciousness of the narrator’s fiction. He describes his hometown as, “a conservative little spot on the prairie” which illustrates a blind, inconsiderate and automatic consent that forms a kind of schizophrenia (Gale, 2016). The narrator is faced with a dilemma of choosing between fighting a war that he is against and facing the public reproach for refusing to participate in the way. This form of insensitivity is however not discussed in depth by the narrator.

This story is still relevant even to date. It encourages people to have their own stands and to be concrete in maintaining these stands. Taking a stand for what we believe is one of the essential things that we can do for other people as well as ourselves. Being in a position to take actions based on what we believe is the greatest gift of personal justice. On the rainy river using its main character is a perfect model of these lessons.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

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Gale, C. L. (2016). A Study Guide for Tim O'Brien's ""On the Rainy River"". Farmington Hills: Gale, Cengage Learning.

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