In his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize in Literature, Bertrand Russell made a bold claim. Russell claimed that there were four central aspirations that are fundamental to every human. Those aspirations are acquisitiveness, rivalry, vanity, and love of power. Russell explains why he thinks every of these four aspirations is fundamental to every person. Although I agree with him for some parts, I do believe that there are some mistakes in his statement.
Although, yes, for a good portion of the population, acquisitiveness is engrained in their DNA, I can think of many people who don't embody this trait in the slightest. Yes, we all know of many celebrities who wish to keep on raking in more money, as if even hundreds of millions isn't enough, But, I bet we can also all think of one or a few people in our life who are very content with what they have and feel little to no need to continue acquiring things past a certain point of happiness. Russell also states that "...a great many men will cheerfully face impoverishment if they thereby secure complete ruin for their rivals". This is a statement I strongly disagree with. There is a lot of data that proves the contrary of this point: humans feel compassion for one another and feel significantly better by helping their neighbors. Although, there are people who I'm sure embody Russell's ideas of rivalry and vanity, I believe it is human nature to want to help out your neighbors in a time of need.
Although I disagreed with some of his previous points, I am in full agreement that love of power is a fundamental aspect of being human. I believe every man or woman, regardless of their views, would like to be respected and looked up to in life. There is no better feeling in life than knowing your ideas resonate with a group of people and you are looked up to as a person of power. Although some people want power for malicious reasons, such as Hitler, there are many people who want power for quite the opposite. Such examples are Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln. Some people want power to make positive change in the lives of those around them.
Although Russell's points do hold weight with regards to some of the population, I believe he has a very cynical view of humanity. Yes, there are always going to be people who only look out for themselves and hope for the demise of others, but deep down it is our human nature to not only want the best for ourselves, but for those around us. I think Russell widely ignores this point and needs to be a little more optimistic about human nature.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Theme of Truth in "The Things They Carried"
Truth is a ubiquitous theme throughout The Things They Carried. Because of the amount of stories that are told throughout the novel, the idea of whether these stories are true or not is present on the minds of readers. Whoever is telling the story, whether it is O'Brien himself or one of the soldiers in Vietnam, they almost always mention the fact that what they're saying may not have actually happened. Tim O'Brien explains to us why he tells the stories as he does and doesn't always include the truth in the short story "Good Form". He states, "I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth" (pg.178). O'Brien has a point. It is scientifically proven that our emotions and our perspective can change how we view an event happening. So it makes sense that O'Brien recalls the stories as he remembers them, including the emotions and unique perspective. It's probably close to impossible for him to remember what exactly happened in a war when you're fighting for your life. So O'Brien tells us the stories from his perspective and hopes that we understand, as readers, that what he's telling us may not be true. So although the author explicitly informs us that he's lying to our faces, I don't feel cheated. Yes, I would like to know what actually happened in some of those stories and what legitimately happened, but we can never know that. We can only know the stories from O'Brien's perspective. So although the events that occurred in The Things They Carried may not be true, the experiences that the soldiers endured were.
An Analysis of Storytelling in "The Things They Carried"
Storytelling plays a central role to the plot in The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. The art of telling stories, whether they are told by the soldiers in Jimmy Cross' platoon, by the fictitious Tim O'Brien, or by the actual author Tim O'Brien. However, the stories in The Things They Carried often have a universal theme of a lack of truth, or blatant lying. The art of storytelling and the manner in which you tell a story matters a great deal in The Things They Carried, whether the stories are being told by a soldier or the author himself.
Throughout The Things They Carried, many stories are told by the soldiers of Jimmy Cross' platoon, with the primary storyteller being Mitchell Sanders. Sander's stories often contain a severe lack of truth in them, leaving the reader to decide what is true and what is false. When Sanders is being told stories he often points how the speaker could've done a better job. For example, when Rat is telling Mitchell Sanders the story of Mary Anne, the girl who fought in Vietnam, Mitchell incessantly interrupts him to comment on what he could've improved on. Mitchell says, "...This elaborate story, you can't say, Hey, by the way, I don't know the ending. I mean, you got certain obligations" (pg. 113). This is just one example of a time Sanders interrupts Rat or another soldier to comment on his delivery or the content of his story. Storytelling becomes a very popular, though not always honest, form of passing time in Vietnam for soldiers. The stories often become wildly exaggerated and lack truth, but provide entertainment in a time when these young men need it most.
Not only do the soldiers rely on storytelling for solace in a difficult time, but so does the actual author of the book, Tim O'Brien. In the last chapter of The Things They Carried, "In The Lives of The Dead", O'Brien reflects on the death of young girl he loved and also on the importance of storytelling. After telling the story of Linda, the young girl who died of cancer, O'Brien states,"But in a story I can steal her soul. I can revive, at least briefly, that which is absolute and unchanging" (pg. 236). O'Brien had hinted throughout the novel of the solace that storytelling offered him but it is not until this point that we understand the entire reason why he does. Storytelling doesn't only relax him, but it also allows O'Brien to bring the people he's lost in his life alive, even if only for a brief moment. Not only does it offer O'Brien a sense of comfort, but it also pays tribute to the dead. O'Brien says,"We kept the dead alive with stories" (pg.239). As a soldier in the Vietnam War, O'Brien saw many close friends pass firsthand and it was a traumatizing experience every time, even for the most seasoned of veterans. After the war, when many other soldiers likely suffered from PTSD and sleepless nights, Tim channeled the thoughts in his head onto paper, offering him respite.
Storytelling is a valuable thing for the soldiers whom endured the Vietnam War. During the war, soldiers primarily used storytelling to offer entertainment during the war and keep their minds off the traumatizing things that were occurring around them. When the fighting stopped, many soldiers, including O'Brien, likely suffered from the events that took place in that unforgiving jungle. O'Brien took to storytelling to alleviate some of the stress that engulfed his day-to-day life. Storytelling offered O'Brien a place to clear his mind, and most importantly comfort when he needed it most.
Throughout The Things They Carried, many stories are told by the soldiers of Jimmy Cross' platoon, with the primary storyteller being Mitchell Sanders. Sander's stories often contain a severe lack of truth in them, leaving the reader to decide what is true and what is false. When Sanders is being told stories he often points how the speaker could've done a better job. For example, when Rat is telling Mitchell Sanders the story of Mary Anne, the girl who fought in Vietnam, Mitchell incessantly interrupts him to comment on what he could've improved on. Mitchell says, "...This elaborate story, you can't say, Hey, by the way, I don't know the ending. I mean, you got certain obligations" (pg. 113). This is just one example of a time Sanders interrupts Rat or another soldier to comment on his delivery or the content of his story. Storytelling becomes a very popular, though not always honest, form of passing time in Vietnam for soldiers. The stories often become wildly exaggerated and lack truth, but provide entertainment in a time when these young men need it most.
Not only do the soldiers rely on storytelling for solace in a difficult time, but so does the actual author of the book, Tim O'Brien. In the last chapter of The Things They Carried, "In The Lives of The Dead", O'Brien reflects on the death of young girl he loved and also on the importance of storytelling. After telling the story of Linda, the young girl who died of cancer, O'Brien states,"But in a story I can steal her soul. I can revive, at least briefly, that which is absolute and unchanging" (pg. 236). O'Brien had hinted throughout the novel of the solace that storytelling offered him but it is not until this point that we understand the entire reason why he does. Storytelling doesn't only relax him, but it also allows O'Brien to bring the people he's lost in his life alive, even if only for a brief moment. Not only does it offer O'Brien a sense of comfort, but it also pays tribute to the dead. O'Brien says,"We kept the dead alive with stories" (pg.239). As a soldier in the Vietnam War, O'Brien saw many close friends pass firsthand and it was a traumatizing experience every time, even for the most seasoned of veterans. After the war, when many other soldiers likely suffered from PTSD and sleepless nights, Tim channeled the thoughts in his head onto paper, offering him respite.
Storytelling is a valuable thing for the soldiers whom endured the Vietnam War. During the war, soldiers primarily used storytelling to offer entertainment during the war and keep their minds off the traumatizing things that were occurring around them. When the fighting stopped, many soldiers, including O'Brien, likely suffered from the events that took place in that unforgiving jungle. O'Brien took to storytelling to alleviate some of the stress that engulfed his day-to-day life. Storytelling offered O'Brien a place to clear his mind, and most importantly comfort when he needed it most.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Sentiment Towards War in "The Things They Carried"
The Things They Carried takes places during the Vietnam War, a highly controversial time for America. Liberal spirits ran high during the 1960's, especially amongst teenagers and young adults. Many teenagers adopted liberal political and world views that inspired them to protest the Vietnam War and generally detest the government. This blog post will analyze the sentiment towards war of the characters of The Things They Carried.
It is evident after reading the first short story of The Things They Carried that many of the soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War were there by force, not choice and resented the war as a whole. Many soldiers were young, inexperienced and did not support the war at all. On page 15, the narrator states, "They searched the villages without knowing what to look for, not caring, kicking over jars of rice, frisking children and old men, blowing tunnels, sometimes setting fires and sometimes not, then forming up and moving on to the next village, then other villages, where it would always be the same." This quote exemplifies not only the soldier's lack of experience, but also their general indifference towards the war and towards doing their jobs. Many other soldiers that fought in Vietnam probably had similar experiences of really not knowing what they were supposed to do. I mean, would you know what to do if you were sent to a foreign land at age 18 and told to go find the enemy in tunnels underneath forests?
After reading the fourth short story, "On The Rainy River", the reader sees a firsthand account of draft evasion from the point of view of Tim O'Brien. Many soldiers at this time probably had similar experiences to Tim O'Brien in trying to avoid conscription. O'Brien defects to Minnesota on the Canadian border for six days and lives with an old man on a campground while trying to decide whether to move to Canada or return home and go to war. This decision does not only affect him mentally but also physically. On page 50, he states, "After supper one evening I vomited and went back to my cabin and lay down for a few moments and then vomited again; another time, in the middle of the afternoon, I began sweating and couldn't shut it off." O'Brien's physical pain reveals to the readers just how hard and traumatizing of a decision this was. I believe I would go through a similar experience to O'Brien had I been in his shoes. At the end of "On The Rainy River" O'Brien decides to go to war. Not because he wants to, but because he was afraid of being viewed as a coward. In his words, "What it came down to, stupidly, was a sense of shame" (pg. 52).
The Things They Carried aptly demonstrates the intense time that was the Vietnam War. Anti-war sentiment was popular at the time and many drafted soldiers either evaded the war or went and resented every minute of it. It was a tough choice for many young American men at the time and as an 18 year old who has to sign up for the draft soon, I am shaken by the thought of being conscripted.
It is evident after reading the first short story of The Things They Carried that many of the soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War were there by force, not choice and resented the war as a whole. Many soldiers were young, inexperienced and did not support the war at all. On page 15, the narrator states, "They searched the villages without knowing what to look for, not caring, kicking over jars of rice, frisking children and old men, blowing tunnels, sometimes setting fires and sometimes not, then forming up and moving on to the next village, then other villages, where it would always be the same." This quote exemplifies not only the soldier's lack of experience, but also their general indifference towards the war and towards doing their jobs. Many other soldiers that fought in Vietnam probably had similar experiences of really not knowing what they were supposed to do. I mean, would you know what to do if you were sent to a foreign land at age 18 and told to go find the enemy in tunnels underneath forests?
After reading the fourth short story, "On The Rainy River", the reader sees a firsthand account of draft evasion from the point of view of Tim O'Brien. Many soldiers at this time probably had similar experiences to Tim O'Brien in trying to avoid conscription. O'Brien defects to Minnesota on the Canadian border for six days and lives with an old man on a campground while trying to decide whether to move to Canada or return home and go to war. This decision does not only affect him mentally but also physically. On page 50, he states, "After supper one evening I vomited and went back to my cabin and lay down for a few moments and then vomited again; another time, in the middle of the afternoon, I began sweating and couldn't shut it off." O'Brien's physical pain reveals to the readers just how hard and traumatizing of a decision this was. I believe I would go through a similar experience to O'Brien had I been in his shoes. At the end of "On The Rainy River" O'Brien decides to go to war. Not because he wants to, but because he was afraid of being viewed as a coward. In his words, "What it came down to, stupidly, was a sense of shame" (pg. 52).
The Things They Carried aptly demonstrates the intense time that was the Vietnam War. Anti-war sentiment was popular at the time and many drafted soldiers either evaded the war or went and resented every minute of it. It was a tough choice for many young American men at the time and as an 18 year old who has to sign up for the draft soon, I am shaken by the thought of being conscripted.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
The Idiosyncrasies of Tim O'Brien's Writing
After reading the first few pages of The Things They Carried, the reader can instantly tell that O'Brien's style is very unique. His style of writing sets him apart from the countless of other novels that I've read. This blog post will analyze the uniqueness and idiosyncrasies of Tim O'Briens writing that I noticed during the first four short stories of The Things They Carried.
One of the most recognizable features of O'Brien's writing is the detailed lists he creates. The first short story of the novel features what feels like hundreds of lists with thousands of items. Realistically, it's much less than that, but that is the effect that O'Brien's writing confers to the reader. The lists in the first story give a detailed description of what every soldier in Jimmy Cross' platoon carried. Not only does it mention the items they carried, but also the exact weight of these items down to the gram. The lists not only gave you insight as to what kind of people these soldiers are, but also transport you into their shoes. The descriptions of the things these soldiers carried makes the reader feel as if he or she is marching into war right along side of them.
Another unique feature of O'Brien's writing is that you believe you are reading a biography, when in fact you are reading the tale of a fictitious soldier also named Tim O'Brien. When I first began to read the fourth short story, "On The Rainy River", I believed I was reading the memoir of a seasoned Vietnam soldier who had seen the horrors of war up-close and personal. However, after doing some research on the author, I realized that the soldier Tim O'Brien is not a seasoned veteran at all, he is a figment of O'Brien's imagination formulated to offer the reader a close look at the Vietnam War.
It is evident after reading the first four short stories of The Things They Carried that O'Brien is a unique writer. The lists he creates enable the reader to visualize the trials and tribulations that soldiers in Vietnam encountered on a day-to-day basis. Not only that, but they offer insight into the lives of the soldiers which the readers would not have previously known about. Tim O'Brien's fabrication of the fictitious "Tim O'Brien" also make me anxious to see how he fares in warfare. Although he is not a real person, O'Brien's writing proves that regardless of a character's authenticity, you can still feel nervous for their outcome.
One of the most recognizable features of O'Brien's writing is the detailed lists he creates. The first short story of the novel features what feels like hundreds of lists with thousands of items. Realistically, it's much less than that, but that is the effect that O'Brien's writing confers to the reader. The lists in the first story give a detailed description of what every soldier in Jimmy Cross' platoon carried. Not only does it mention the items they carried, but also the exact weight of these items down to the gram. The lists not only gave you insight as to what kind of people these soldiers are, but also transport you into their shoes. The descriptions of the things these soldiers carried makes the reader feel as if he or she is marching into war right along side of them.
Another unique feature of O'Brien's writing is that you believe you are reading a biography, when in fact you are reading the tale of a fictitious soldier also named Tim O'Brien. When I first began to read the fourth short story, "On The Rainy River", I believed I was reading the memoir of a seasoned Vietnam soldier who had seen the horrors of war up-close and personal. However, after doing some research on the author, I realized that the soldier Tim O'Brien is not a seasoned veteran at all, he is a figment of O'Brien's imagination formulated to offer the reader a close look at the Vietnam War.
It is evident after reading the first four short stories of The Things They Carried that O'Brien is a unique writer. The lists he creates enable the reader to visualize the trials and tribulations that soldiers in Vietnam encountered on a day-to-day basis. Not only that, but they offer insight into the lives of the soldiers which the readers would not have previously known about. Tim O'Brien's fabrication of the fictitious "Tim O'Brien" also make me anxious to see how he fares in warfare. Although he is not a real person, O'Brien's writing proves that regardless of a character's authenticity, you can still feel nervous for their outcome.
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