Chris Elliott Essay Example For Students

Chris Elliott Essay Professor ThomasEng 10224 March 2003Research PaperAfter reading short stories such as Barn Burning, The Things TheyCarried, and I Stand Here Ironing, these works made me wonder what theauthors were thinking when they wrote these short stories. The shortsummary before each story do tell some facts about the author, which givesthe reader an explanation for where the author is coming from when he orshe writes the short story. However, these short biographies left mewanting to learn more information about the authors. The one short storythat raises the most questions is The Things They Carried, written by TimOBrien in 1990. OBrien is one of many writers who wrote about the Vietnam War, butone of the few that uses first hand experiences in his stories. Thiselement adds in the effectiveness of the short story. The great detail ofthe war front in Vietnam made me feel like I was part of the platoon, whichwas at risk each and every day they stepped outside of their bases. Almostall of his stories involve a war-like experience or situation. This story provides great relevance to me today because of thesituation that our country is involved in over in Iraq.During thisparticular time in our country today many parallels are created with theWar today and the Vietnam War. I believe we all need to learn as much aswe can about our countrys history in order to understand the situation weare currently involved. OBrien uses his literary techniques to help givethe reader a sense of understanding what the troops go through during war. I have always been intrigued with stories about personal war experiences orbooks describing the time line of events that took place. Before ourcountry invaded Iraq many people in our country were divided about ourrelationship with Iraq. Now it is time for the citizens of the UnitedStates of America to support our troops, who are giving their lives tofight for something they believe in. Especially since American troops havestarted to lose their lives in operation freedom. Many of the scenes inThe Things They Carried can relate to the same situation the troops inIraq may feel while marching through the desert. I feel that OBrien isthe perfect author to study and learn more about his background during thissomber time in our country. The only information that I know about Tim OBrien is from the shortbiography listed before the story. This information states that OBrienwas born on 1947 in Austin, Minnesota. He received his education fromMacalester College then went to Harvard University to further hiseducation. OBrien won the national book award for Going After Cacciatoin 1978. His short story, The Things They Carried, that I choose toanalyze was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. After reading the story, Iknew that he served in the U.S. Army and fought in the Vietnam War back inthe 1970s. The short story The Things They Carried poses many questions andmade me feel the need for more information. I want to know what inspiredOBrien to start writing about the Vietnam War when he returned. What hisactual role in the Vietnam War was and why he decided to join the army arealso questions in my mind. From the story was did he decide to write aboutthe items the soldiers carried during battle. Also what other stories hasOBrien written about his war experiences? Through research I hope to findwhen OBrien became serious about writing? What was OBriens opinion onthe war and did he every feel that they were fighting for the wrongreasons? Was their ever a moment in the war when he mentally lost focus ordid he use writing as a relaxation technique? Many of these questions Iwill try to answer from research. Cyprus - History Of The Conflict EssayThe Vietnam War, influenced-and even brought about-writing career(OBrien 2)StyleHis diction is simple, his sentences are rhythmic, and his characters havedistinct speaking voices, but they also represent values (Tim OBrien1). OBriens writing organizes itself around a familiar set of oppositions:war versus peace, love versus hate, men versus women, reality versusimagination, sanity versus insanity, cowardice versus courage, safetyversus danger, and change versus stasis (Tim OBrien 1). OBrien returns again and again to the complex relationship among reality,the imagination, and language (Tim OBrien 2). Imagination shapes our realitiesImagination core of his workYou shape your own universe. You practice all the time, then practice somemore. You pay attention to craft. You aim for tension and and suspense, asense of drama, displaying in concrete terms the actions and reactions ofhuman beings contesting problems of the heart. You try to make art. Youstrive for wholeness, seeking continuity and flow, each element performingboth as cause and effect, always hoping to create, or re-create, the greatillusions of life (Contemporary Authors 2). Insight and wisdom are required, and that means reading and hard thought(Contemporary Authors 5). The thing about a story is that you dream it as you tell it (LiteraryBiography 6). After the warDuring several years as a graduate student studying government at HarvardUniversity (1970-1976) Wrote two his books If I Die in a Combat Zone andNorthern LightsTeaching assistant and a reporter for the Washington PostStruggled to make ends meatThe Things They CarriedThe Things They Carried is my best book (Interview 1). a fictional memoir filled with interconnected stories about the conflictand the people involved (Contemporary Authors 4). The most innovative and challenging book he had written to date (LiteraryBiography 1). revealing the most terrible truths about human beings (Literary Biography1). Prescott Wars seldom produce good short stories, but two or three of theseseem as good as any short stories written about war (Literary Biography2). Ninety percent or more of the material is invented, and I invented ninetypercent of a new Tim OBrien, maybe even more than that (LiteraryBiography 3). Stylistic risk taker and innovator with his own well established themes(Literary Biography 3). Writers he is compared tooOBrien currently belongs to the small platoon of great American warwriters that has walked through native mythic terrain (Literary Biography5). Limited category war writerCrane, Hemingway, Jones, Mailer, VonnegutPublications by Tim OBrienIf I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me HomeNorthern LightsGoing After CacciatoThe Nuclear AgeIn the Lake of the WoodsOther short stories and contributes to Playboy, Esquire and Redbook