As I reflect upon Tom O’Brien’s novel for my essay, I can’t help but relate his fictional stories to my uncle. Sifting through the exhausting amount of text that I can choose for my quotations, I wonder whether the things O’Brien mentions actually occur in real life. I wonder whether my Uncle Lance carried grenades in his belt, or whether he actually sprinted to each wounded soldier amidst an ongoing battle. Did Lance once see villages decimated from napalm airstrikes? Were bodies burning everywhere? I can’t imagine, nor do I want to. Why do I call attention to these thoughts? I believe that O’Brien’s fictional stories can be meaningful because they create an emotional connection between the reader and the novel’s characters. I personally connected with the stories of the soldiers through my Uncle Lance, who served in Afghanistan for four years as a medic. I try to envision Lance running to help Tim O’Brien when he is shot. My personal connection with Lance made me fear for both him and the main character.
I think that author Tim O’Brien’s story can also connect with others like it did with me because of the prevalence of war in our society. Nearly everyone knows someone that currently serves, or has served in a war. Because so many people have some sort of relationship with a war veteran or current soldier, I believe that this story deeply connects with people, as it did with me. This profound connection gives this fictional text a non-fictional appearance.
Do you think writing about something so personal or real serves as a catalyst for perfection? It is harder to obtain perfection when the author is recounting true stories. I think Lamott would encourage a stream-of-consciousness approach for writing like Tim O'Brien's. And I think it's interesting that you thought of your Uncle Lance because it proves that text is more than just words on a page. This allows us to connect our stories.
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