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.