How to Tell a True War Story Essays

The first three words of the chapter “How to Tell a True War Story” are, “This is true” (67). Although Tim O’Brien begins this chapter with such a bold and clear statement, throughout the chapter he has the reader thinking and confused when he contradicts himself by stating things such as, “In many cases a true war story cannot

War is normally defined as a state of open, often prolonged, armed conflict between two or more groups, usually nations, states or other parties. Wars are usually begun through the clash of interests between the different groups such as territory or resources. Before a war can officially begin the groups involved usually have a formal declaration of war to make the citizens aware that there is a war.

War is by no means simple. It is not just a battle between men or nations, as there are wars rooted within ourselves. War to many is unknown and painful, showing the dark side of humanity, and to others it is a sign of glory and conquest. Ernest Hemingway shows his view of the realities of war in “Soldier’s Home” by the experiences pinned onto Harold Krebs, a WWI veteran. Krebs' loss of interest and detachment to post-war society alludes that an unattainable reality to fit back into everyday life was placed on veterans by civilians who had romanticized views of war. This marks the need for elaborated war stories to end in order for veterans to be deservingly accepted back into society.

War is a horrible thing that comes out of hatred in people’s hearts and produces tragedy around it. War comes and goes but in its path are people who have to suffer through the hardships it brings. Two of the most notable aspects of war is that war is a fight for power and that produces loss of family.

War stories are usually an emotional or depressing version of someone’s experience during their time in war. In Tim O’Brien’s short story, “Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?” and Youtube video, “How to Tell A True War Story” he expresses many of his emotions and his journey after he returned from combat. He explained how scary the war can be, encouraging you to stay away from warfare so you don't have to deal with the guilt he feels, and how depressing and how much his life has changed since returning from his deployment.

This is especially evident in the stories of O’Brien’s draft and his first killing, Bob Kiley and Curt Lemon’s friendship and his unanswered letter, as well as Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’s love life. A true war story encompasses the severity and consequences that come along with war: I concur with the author’s outlook on what an authentic war story is defined to be. O’Brien’s objective is to reveal “those odd little fragments that have no beginning and no end” and how the truth to a war story could never be guaranteed and that the truth is “all relative” (O’Brien 35) because in the end “you can’t even tell a true war story”(O’Brien

According to the author a true war story “does not instruct nor encourage virtue, nor suggests models of proper human behavior.” (1) O’Brien states the basic guideline for determining a story true or false. If a war story contains uplifting and inspiring messages, then the audience is being fed a lie. This concept runs against our general perception of what a war story is. For example, in a U.S. Army advertisement, the main heading says that “Being proud is strong.

In the chapter entitled “How to Tell a True War Story,” the narrator, Tim O’Brien, lists various ways in which one can tell a “true” war story. He describes, in one instance, that one can “tell a true war story by the way it never seems to end” (72). This definition stood out to me the most as I thought that it related best to ideas O’Brien had brought up in earlier chapters. The notion that war stories appear endless is one that was also touched upon when O’brien explained: “in any war story, but especially a true one, it’s difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen” (67). Perhaps O’Brien relates the idea that once a story has replaced a memory, the story becomes a part of oneself, and thus never seems to end -- or at least

Essentially, O’Brien’s assumption about a true war story is a credible approach that reveals the true meaning of true war. In effect, according to O’Brien, a true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, models of proper human behavior, and does not deter men to do what they want to do. O’Brien emphasizes that if the story is moral, one should not believe it.

One of the most glorious stories that is in this book would be “How To Tell a True War Story”. Tim O’Brien explains everything thing about war. The colors, the smells, the intense feeling. “In any war story, but especially a true one, it’s difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen. What seems to happen becomes it own happening and has to be told that way.” (68). This quote is followed by Tim’s angle of Curt Lemon’s death. Tim explains how a true war story may not be believable, pictures get jumbled and that moment in time may get erased. True war stories are from a soldier's opinion, not a civilian that was not there. A war story in the

We have all heard the stories that our parents tell in order to prove a point. One example is the “I walked 10 miles over snowy hills to get to school” or one of my favorites, “If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?” These stories or statements try to convey a truth. The only problem is that while a parent sees it one way, his or her child does not. Even if the parent had walked to school 10 miles over hills every day in snow or god-forbid had friends who jumped off cliffs, his or her child may not have the same experience. In short, a relationship to an experience affects what truth is seen by the listener and storyteller. In Tim O’Brien’s “How to Tell a True War

War as we know is mostly about two countries fighting each other whether for part of a country or on some policies. It can also be between tribes within a country that will fight among them.

Defined as “a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations” (Merriam-Webster)., war is a constant throughout history. Ancient civilizations declared war on one another for no other reason than for blood lust or greed. Even in the twentieth century, the world saw several bloody, destructive struggles, such as the World Wars, the Vietnam and Korean Conflicts, and the ongoing battle in Syria. Scholars debate the causes of wars such as these. But for the most part, war accomplishes nothing more than act as a way to display anger and displeasure at a government or country. Unless it is a fight for the freedom of the people, it is a pointless action of destruction and death.

Through our time here on earth, we all experience different events that make us into the people we are. Some of us experience the small things in life and never experience the sensational things. Certain people experience pain and unimaginable hardship while others experience love and comfort. We can be effected by small subtleties and overwhelming moments that open our minds and change us. War is an event that has influenced the human race since the beginning of time. War has the power to change a person, change emotions concerning life, and cause permanent psychological effects. It is an experience that has formed legends and stories which have changed culture. War has established itself with our human race, and it has given us many experiences which make us who we are today.

War is a conflict carried out by force of arms, between nations, states or between parties within a nation which can be on land, sea or in the air, always caused by something. It’s a clash of interests which results in violent armed struggles and can affect